Counter-Strike Terms You Should Know

20 January 2025

Counter-Strike has been around for decades, and with its growth, it has developed a unique set of terms and expressions. Whether you’re new to the game or exploring the CS2 investment scene, understanding this vocabulary is key. Here’s a breakdown of the most common expressions used in both gameplay and investments.

Gameplay Terms

1. Eco Round

Meaning: A round where a team saves money, buying minimal equipment to prepare for a future round.

Example: "Let’s eco this round and buy next."

2. Ace

Meaning: When one player eliminates all five opponents in a single round.

Example: "That clutch ace was insane!"

3. Save

Meaning: A player keeps their weapon instead of risking it in a hopeless round.

Example: "I’m saving my AWP for the next round."

4. Baiting

Meaning: Intentionally using a teammate as a distraction to gain an advantage.

Example: "Stop baiting and play as a team!"

5. Wallbang

Meaning: Shooting through walls or objects to hit opponents.

Example: "Nice wallbang on B site!"

6. Ninja Defuse

Meaning: Defusing the bomb stealthily while enemies are unaware.

Example: "He pulled off a perfect ninja defuse!"

Investment Terms

1. Rare Drop Pool

Meaning: Cases no longer in active rotation but still available through rare in-game drops.

Example: "Danger Zone is now part of the rare drop pool."

2. Covert Skin

Meaning: The highest rarity of skins in cases, often the most valuable.

Example: "The AK-47 Neon Rider is a covert skin."

3. Blue Gem

Meaning: A rare pattern for case-hardened skins, highly sought after by collectors.

Example: "That Karambit Blue Gem is worth a fortune."

4. Float Value

Meaning: A measure of a skin’s wear, ranging from Factory New to Battle-Scarred.

Example: "This AWP Asiimov has a great float value of 0.02."

5. Market Pump

Meaning: A sudden increase in demand and price for certain items.

Example: "The Dreams & Nightmares case saw a market pump last week."

6. Stonks

Meaning: A slang term for profitable investments, derived from internet memes.

Example: "Buying Prisma cases was pure stonks!"

Crossover Terms

1. HODL

Meaning: A term borrowed from crypto, meaning to hold onto items for long-term profit.

Example: "I’m HODLing my Clutch cases until next year."

2. Quick Sell

Meaning: Selling items quickly, often below market value, to liquidate.

Example: "I quick-sold my AK-47 Fire Serpent to buy a knife."

3. Meta

Meaning: The most effective strategy or trend at a given time.

Example: "The AWP is still the meta in high-level play."

Final Thoughts

Understanding Counter-Strike expressions helps you navigate both the gameplay and the investment side of CS2. Whether you’re calling shots in a match or analyzing market trends, knowing the lingo puts you a step ahead.