Glossary
Cannabis Glossary: 40 Terms Every Shopper Should Know
From "terpene" to "live rosin" to "entourage effect" — a plain-English glossary for the words you'll run into on every dispensary menu, product label, and strain page.
By The Crushed Desk · 1w ago · 6 min read
Photo: Cannabis Tours, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key takeaways
- •Most dispensary-menu jargon breaks into a handful of categories: chemistry (THC, CBD, terpenes), plant type (indica/sativa/hybrid), extraction method (rosin, resin, live), and product format (pre-roll, vape, edible).
- •Knowing a handful of terpene names is often more useful for predicting effect than the indica/sativa label alone.
- •Terms like "entourage effect" and "full-spectrum" describe a real, actively studied idea — that cannabinoids and terpenes may work better together than any single compound in isolation — but the science is still developing.
Cannabis menus and labels pack in a lot of specialized vocabulary fast, mixing plant biology, chemistry, extraction technique, and retail jargon into a handful of words on a shelf tag. This glossary groups the terms you're most likely to run into by category, so you can look up a word in context rather than scrolling an alphabetical list.
As with the rest of Crushed Learn's guide track, this is general educational information, not medical advice, and terminology or legal definitions can vary somewhat by state or country.
Strains in this story
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol — the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, responsible for the high.
THCA
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid — THC's non-intoxicating precursor in raw plant material; converts to THC when heated.
CBD
Cannabidiol — a non-intoxicating cannabinoid that doesn't produce a high on its own and is used in some FDA-approved and many unregulated wellness products.
CBG
Cannabigerol — a minor, largely non-intoxicating cannabinoid sometimes called the "mother cannabinoid" because other cannabinoids are synthesized from it in the plant.
CBN
Cannabinol — a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid that forms as THC ages and degrades; often marketed for sleep, though evidence is preliminary.
Decarboxylation
The heat-driven chemical process that converts THCA into THC (and CBDA into CBD) — what happens when you smoke, vape, or bake cannabis.
Terpenes
Aromatic compounds that give cannabis its smell and flavor and may interact with cannabinoids to shape the overall effect.
Myrcene
An earthy, musky terpene common in cannabis, often anecdotally associated with relaxing effects.
Limonene
A citrus-scented terpene often anecdotally associated with uplifted mood.
Pinene
A pine-scented terpene often anecdotally associated with alertness.
Caryophyllene
A peppery terpene notable for also binding cannabinoid receptors directly, unlike most other terpenes.
Entourage effect
The theory that cannabinoids and terpenes work better together than any single compound in isolation — an active area of research, not yet fully proven.
Full-spectrum
A product made from the whole range of cannabinoids and terpenes naturally present in the plant, rather than an isolated single compound.
Isolate
A product refined down to a single cannabinoid (commonly CBD or THC) with everything else removed.
Indica
A cannabis subspecies originally defined by short, broad-leafed plant structure; on labels, often (imprecisely) associated with relaxing effects.
Sativa
A cannabis subspecies originally defined by tall, narrow-leafed plant structure; on labels, often (imprecisely) associated with energizing effects.
Hybrid
A cross between indica and sativa genetics — the category the large majority of modern dispensary strains actually fall into.
Chemovar
A plant classified by its chemical profile (cannabinoid and terpene content) rather than its indica/sativa lineage — often a better predictor of effect.
Cultivar
The more botanically precise term for what's commonly called a "strain" — a specific cultivated variety of the plant.
Flower
The dried, cured bud of the cannabis plant — the traditional smokable form of the product.
Pre-roll
A cannabis cigarette rolled in advance and sold ready to smoke.
Vape cartridge
A sealed container of cannabis oil designed to attach to a battery and be heated into inhalable vapor.
Concentrate
Any product where cannabinoids and terpenes have been extracted out of the plant material into a much more potent form — wax, shatter, rosin, resin, and similar products.
Rosin
A solventless concentrate made using only heat and mechanical pressure to squeeze resin out of the plant.
Resin
Commonly refers to a solvent-based concentrate (using butane, propane, or CO2) that is purged of solvent after extraction.
Live resin / live rosin
Resin or rosin made from flash-frozen fresh plant material instead of dried, cured flower — preserves more of the original terpene profile.
Shatter
A hard, glass-like concentrate texture.
Wax / budder
A softer, more opaque concentrate texture, whipped or purged differently than shatter.
Distillate
A highly refined cannabis oil, usually near-pure THC or CBD, commonly used as a base for vape carts and edibles.
Dab
A single dose of concentrate vaporized on a heated surface (a "nail") and inhaled through a rig.
Edible
Any food or drink product infused with cannabis extract, absorbed through digestion rather than inhalation.
Tincture
A liquid cannabis extract, usually alcohol- or oil-based, typically taken by drops under the tongue.
Topical
A cannabis-infused lotion, balm, or patch applied to the skin, generally used for localized effect without a noticeable high.
Onset time
How long it takes to feel a product's effects after consuming it — minutes for inhaled methods, often 30 minutes to 2+ hours for edibles.
Microdosing
Consuming a very small, sub-intoxicating (or barely noticeable) dose of THC, often for a mild effect without a strong high.
Tolerance
The body's reduced response to a given dose after repeated regular use — one reason consistent users often need more to feel the same effect.
COA
Certificate of Analysis — a lab's official report on a product's cannabinoid content, terpene profile, and contaminant screening.
Terpene profile
The specific combination and concentration of terpenes measured in a product, usually listed on its COA or label.
Budtender
A dispensary staff member trained to help customers choose products and answer questions about effects and dosing.
Cannabinoid
Any of the 100+ chemical compounds found in cannabis that interact with the body's endocannabinoid system, including THC and CBD.
Endocannabinoid system
The body's internal signaling network of receptors (like CB1 and CB2) that cannabinoids from cannabis interact with.
This is general educational information, not medical advice. Effects vary by person, product, and dose — check local law, and talk to a doctor or licensed budtender for guidance specific to you.