New to WordPress? You’ll probably run into technical terms that seem confusing at first. This WordPress glossary breaks down over 50 essential terms, explained in plain English — so you can feel confident managing your site like a pro.
🔧 WordPress Core Terms
Term
Definition
WordPress
A free, open-source CMS (content management system) for building websites.
Dashboard
The main admin panel where you manage content, settings, and plugins.
Post
A blog entry or article. Posts are listed in reverse chronological order.
Page
Static content (e.g. About, Contact). Pages don’t appear in blog feeds.
Theme
A template that controls the design and layout of your site.
Plugin
An add-on that adds new features or functionality to WordPress.
Widget
A block of content that you can place in sidebars or footers.
Block Editor (Gutenberg)
The default WordPress editor that uses drag-and-drop blocks for building pages.
Classic Editor
The old-school WordPress editor with a single content box.
Customizer
A tool under Appearance > Customize where you adjust theme settings and see changes live.
🗂️ Content Structure
Term
Definition
Category
A way to group related blog posts. Hierarchical.
Tag
A non-hierarchical way to label posts by topic.
Custom Post Type (CPT)
Content types beyond posts and pages (e.g. products, portfolios).
Taxonomy
A method of grouping content — categories and tags are default taxonomies.
Slug
The URL-friendly version of a title (e.g. /about-us).
Permalink
The full, permanent URL to a post, page, or file.
Excerpt
A short summary or preview of a post.
Sticky Post
A post that stays pinned at the top of the blog feed.
Featured Image
The main image that represents a post or page.
🛠️ Technical & Development
Term
Definition
Child Theme
A theme that inherits from a parent theme and lets you make safe customizations.
functions.php
A theme file where you can add custom PHP functions to change behavior.
Shortcode
A placeholder in square brackets that loads custom functionality (e.g. ).
Hook
A way to add or modify functionality using actions or filters in WordPress.
Template File
PHP files that control how content is displayed (e.g., single.php, page.php).
Loop
The code WordPress uses to display posts dynamically.
REST API
A way developers can access and interact with WordPress data externally.
WP-CLI
A command-line interface for advanced WordPress management.
Multisite
A WordPress setup where one installation runs multiple sites under one dashboard.
🔒 Security & Admin
Term
Definition
Admin User
A user role with full control over the site.
User Roles
Different access levels (Admin, Editor, Author, Contributor, Subscriber).
Nonce
A security token used to verify actions and prevent unauthorized changes.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
An extra layer of login protection (e.g. code via app/email).
CAPTCHA
A test to prevent bots (often used on forms or logins).
SSL
Encrypts data between the browser and your site (enables HTTPS).
⚙️ Plugins, Hosting & Site Tools
Term
Definition
Caching
Temporarily storing content to improve site speed.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
Distributes your site content globally to load faster for all users.
SEO Plugin
Helps optimize your content and meta data for search engines.
Backup Plugin
Creates a copy of your site for safekeeping or recovery.
Staging Site
A clone of your live site used to test changes safely.
Maintenance Mode
Temporarily hides your site while it’s under construction.
📈 Marketing, Analytics & E-Commerce
Term
Definition
Google Tag Manager (GTM)
A tool to manage tracking codes without editing your site’s code.
GA4 (Google Analytics 4)
Google’s latest analytics platform for tracking site activity.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors who take a desired action (e.g. buy, sign up).
Landing Page
A focused page designed for a specific goal, like email signups or sales.
Call to Action (CTA)
A prompt encouraging visitors to take an action.
WooCommerce
The most popular e-commerce plugin for WordPress.
Payment Gateway
The service that processes online payments (e.g., Stripe, PayPal).
🧠 Final Thoughts
Learning WordPress doesn’t require knowing code — but understanding these key terms can dramatically improve how confidently and efficiently you use the platform.
Bookmark this glossary or share it with clients and team members as a go-to WordPress reference.