{"id":6079,"date":"2026-04-23T16:37:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T20:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studentlife.utk.edu\/gogreek\/?page_id=6079"},"modified":"2026-04-23T16:37:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T20:37:31","slug":"greek-glossary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/studentlife.utk.edu\/gogreek\/how-to-join\/greek-glossary\/","title":{"rendered":"Greek Glossary"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/svg> The Greek Alphabet<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

A<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alpha<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

B<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beta<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u0393<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gamma<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u0394<\/strong><\/p>\n

Delta<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

\n

E<\/strong><\/p>\n

Epsilon<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Z<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zeta<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

H<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eta<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u0398<\/strong><\/p>\n

Theta<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

\n

I<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iota<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

K<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kappa<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u039b<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lambda<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

M<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

\n

N<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u039e<\/strong><\/p>\n

Xi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

O<\/strong><\/p>\n

Omicron<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u03a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

\n

P<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rho<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u03a3<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sigma<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

T<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tau<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Y<\/strong><\/p>\n

Upsilon<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

\n

\u03a6<\/strong><\/p>\n

Phi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

X<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u03a8<\/strong><\/p>\n

Psi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u03a9<\/strong><\/p>\n

Omega<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Active:<\/strong> an undergraduate member who has been initiated into life-long membership.<\/p>\n

Badge\/Pin:<\/strong> worn by new or active members to designate that they are joining or a part of a specific organization.<\/p>\n

Bid:<\/strong> an invitation to a potential new member to join a sorority or fraternity.<\/p>\n

Big Sister\/Brother:<\/strong> an older member of the chapter who serves as a role model and mentor to a new member or \u201clittle sister\/brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

CBFO:<\/strong> culturally-based fraternal organizations.<\/p>\n

Chapter:<\/strong> the name applied to the local organization of an inter\/national fraternity or sorority.<\/p>\n

Continuous open bidding (COB):<\/strong> an informal recruitment process that Panhellenic sororities use to recruit new members outside of the designated primary recruitment period.<\/p>\n

Crossed:<\/strong> the process of completing the intake process and becoming a full member of a chapter.<\/p>\n

Family:<\/strong> the connected bigs and littles in a chapter, which makes a family tree dating back each semester or year.<\/p>\n

Fiji Island:<\/strong> the open area in Fraternity Park where many chapters host philanthropy events and gatherings.<\/p>\n

Formal or Primary Recruitment:<\/strong> a designated membership recruitment time period during which a series of organized activities are held by each fraternity\/sorority and governed by Panhellenic or IFC.<\/p>\n

Fraternity Park:<\/strong> the location of 13 fraternity houses located in the south area of campus near The Rock.<\/p>\n

Gamma Chi\/Recruitment Captain:<\/strong> Gamma Chis (Panhellenic) and Recruitment Captains (IFC) are members of the community who serve as mentors and guides through the recruitment process. They oversee a group of students and are a point person for communication and assistance.<\/p>\n

Greek Life:<\/strong> also known as \u201cSorority and Fraternity Life,\u201d Greek Life refers to sororities and fraternities because of their history as Greek-lettered organizations. Because not all of our chapters use or publicize Greek letters, we use \u201csorority and fraternity life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interfraternity Council (IFC):<\/strong> the governing body of the men\u2019s fraternity system at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.<\/p>\n

Initiation:<\/strong> the inter\/national ritual ceremony through which new members learn the full meaning of their organization, promise to uphold the standards of the organization, and receive life-long membership.<\/p>\n

Intake:<\/strong> the period of education before initiation when MGC\/NPHC new members learn the history and traditions of their organizations.<\/p>\n

Interest Meeting:<\/strong> a meeting for potential new members to receive information about and meet members of an MGC\/NPHC organization.<\/p>\n

Legacy:<\/strong> a potential new member who is the sibling, child, nephew\/niece, or grandchild of an active member or alumni of a fraternity or sorority.<\/p>\n

Line\/Ship:<\/strong> a group of new members in a specific MGC\/NPHC chapter (within a specific semester).<\/p>\n

Multicultural Greek Council (MGC):<\/strong> the governing body of the multicultural sorority and fraternity system at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.<\/p>\n

National Pan-hellenic Council (NPHC):<\/strong> the governing body for the nine historically but not exclusively Black fraternities and sororities (\u201cDivine Nine\u201d) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.<\/p>\n

Neophyte\/Neo:<\/strong> a term used for new members of an MGC\/NPHC organization<\/p>\n

New Member:<\/strong> a student who has accepted a bid or invitation for membership into a fraternity or sorority, but has not been initiated.<\/p>\n

New Member Presentation:<\/strong> an event where newly initiated members of an MGC\/NPHC organization perform step routines and reveal themselves to the public after their intake period.<\/p>\n

Panhellenic Council (Panhellenic):<\/strong> the governing body of the women\u2019s sorority system at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.<\/p>\n

Potential New Member (PNM):<\/strong> a student who is interested in becoming a member of a Greek organization.<\/p>\n

Prophyte:<\/strong> a term used for a member who is responsible for educating and mentoring new member(s) in an MGC or NPHC organization.<\/p>\n

Sorority Village:<\/strong> the location of 14 sorority facilities located west of campus across from Alcoa Highway.<\/p>\n

Stepping or Step Show:<\/strong> a tradition of NPHC organizations where routines are performed. A series of complex, synchronous, and precise rhythmic movements, typically performed to songs or chants created by member organizations.<\/p>\n

Strolling:<\/strong> precise and synchronized movements performed in unison by members of culturally-based fraternities and sororities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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