Greek Life Glossary

Active: a man or woman who has been formally initiated by his/her fraternity or sorority

Alumnus/Alumnae: an initiated member that has graduated from college or who belongs to a graduate chapter

Associate/New Member: a member of a fraternity or sorority not yet initiated

Bid: an invitation to membership in IFC/NPC/NPHC organization

Brother/Sister: a term used by active members when referring to each other

Call: the sound or saying by which members of NPHC organizations greet their brothers or sisters or announce their location

Chapter: the local collegiate or graduate group of a national fraternity or sorority

Charter: the official document recognizing a chapter’s status by the national organization

Colony: status of a new chapter before installation

Frat: NPHC term used to refer to one’s fraternity or a fraternity brother

Greek: a term applied to members affiliated with Greek-letter organizations

Interfraternity Council (IFC): the governing body of Kappa Alpha, Kappa Sigma, Phi Mu Alpha, and Pi Kappa Alpha.

Initiation: a formal ceremony in which an associate/new member becomes an initiated member

Intake: the period of training before initiation when NPHC new members learn the history and traditions of the organization and bonds with his/her line

Interest Meeting: meeting for prospective members to receive information about and meet members of a Greek organization

Legacy: a prospective member whose parent, or sibling is an alumna/alumni or an initiated member of the organization they are seeking to join

Line: a group of new members in a specific NPHC chapter in a specific semester

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC): the governing body of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, & Phi Beta Sigma

National Panhellenic Council (NPC): the governing body of Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Delta, & Phi Mu. 

New Member / Pledge Class: a group of new members in a specific NPC chapter in a specific semester

Order of Omega: national honor society that recognizes and promotes Greek leadership and scholastics

Potential Member/ Rushee: a non-Greek man or woman participating in the IFC/NPC recruitment process

Probate Show: event where newly initiated members of an NPHC group perform step routines and reveal themselves to the public after their intake period

Recruitment: designed for NPC membership selection and is a mutual selection process for potential members and chapters

Recruitment Counselor: a member of an NPC sorority that has disaffiliated from his/her organization during Recruitment Week to assist students interested in joining an NPC organization

Rush:  designed for IFC membership selection and is a mutual selection process for potential members and chapters

Soror: NPHC term referring to one’s sorority sister

Stepping/Step Show: a tradition of NPHC organizations where entertaining synchronized movements and routines are performed