Pwn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The slang term pwn (see pronunciation note below), a term used primarily in the Internet gaming culture, means to soundly defeat an opponent. It is sometimes used for taunting of an in-game enemy, and rubbing in victories. The etymology of the term pwn is believed to be rooted in a typographical error arising from the close proximity of the 'p' key to the 'o' key on a standard english keyboard.

Initially — that is, before the term's adoption into the 1337 lexicon — "pwn" was generally perceived as an honest error and pronounced "own." Eventually, as the word took on a life of its own and began to convey a meaning stronger and more specialized than that of "own", its pronunciation began to vary as detailed below.

"Pwn" is also a term for being professionaly owned (beaten badly).

The term has become ubiquitous in Internet circles and is often used outside of gaming contexts. Its progressive form is "pwning." Its noun form is "pwnage." Its most common use is in the past tense, "pwned" (sometimes spelled "pwnt"). An example: "You just got pwned." Appending "zorz" creates a humorous variation of the word, e.g. pwnzorz.

To be "owned" in the gaming world is to be miserably defeated by an opponent or an opposing team, often without any harm done to the owning party. However, the term "pwned" is usually used when the loser is humiliated in a fair competition.