Steno Glossary

A glossary of steno terms I've made :)

Outline:

• Key
• Chord
• Stroke
• Outline
• Translation
  • Affix
  • Command
  • Untran
• Entry
• Dictionary
  • Lookup
  • Reverse Lookup
  • Generated
  • Programmatic
  • Python
  • Modal
  • Dictionary Building
  • JSON Dictionary
  • Dictionary Format
• Theory Rule
• Theory
  • Long
  • Short
  • Phonetic
  • Orthographic
  • Full-English
  • Hobbyist
  • Professional
• Conflict
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Word Boundary Conflict
  • Word-affix Conflict
  • Homophonic Conflict
  • Proper Noun Conflict
• Writing
• Write-out
• Brief
  • Misstroke
  • Arbitrary
  • Phrase
  • Shorten
  • Briefing Technique
• Mandatory
• Vestige
• Raw Steno
• Paper Tape/Steno Paper
• Steno Order
• Layout
  • WSI Layout
  • Extended Stenotype Layout
• System
• Steno Engine
  • Plover
  • Javelin
  • Embedded
  • Orthography Rules
• Text Input System
• Chorded
• Serial
• Steno Writer
  • Steno Machine
  • Steno Keyboard
  • Stenotype Machine
  • NKRO
  • QWERTY
  • WPM
• Chorded
• Serial
• Philly Shift
• Shadowing
• Dropping
• Linking
• Folding
• Merge
• Bank
  • Initial
  • Vowel
  • Final
  • Skeleton
• Label
• Fingerspelling
• Orthospelling
  • Shrimple
• Unique
• Dedicated
• Stenographer
• Spacing
• Space suppression
• Casing
• Realtime
• Undo Stack

Key

Noun

An individual key on a steno writer or a layout. Analogous to a key on a keyboard.

• Multiple keys may share the same label, with a dash (-) denoting what bank the key is in. For example, in the WSI layout, there are two keys labeled 'S': the initial S- key, and the final -S key. Notice the dash at the start and end of the key to show what position they're in relative to the vowels.

Chord

Noun

A set of keys that may denote a sound, letter, affix, or any other part of a translation.

• An example chord is TPH-, which translates to the initial "n" sound (/n/).
• Chords can be combined to form strokes.
• The difference between a chord and a stroke can often be subtle. See Chords vs. Strokes.

Verb

Writing using a chorded device, or a steno writer.

Stroke

Noun

A set of keys pressed together simultaneously.

• If that sounds like what a chord is, that's because chords and strokes are very similar. They are both sets of keys. When you press down a set of keys simultaneously, that is a stroke. A chord is something you can use to build strokes.
• A helpful way to think of it is that when you combine two chords, you get a stroke, but when you combine two strokes, you get an outline.
• For a full explanation of the difference between chords and strokes, see Chords vs. Strokes.

Verb

Pressing down all the keys that make up a stroke on a steno writer.

Also used interchangeably with the verb chord, meaning to write on a chorded device.

Outline

Noun

One or more strokes written one after another.

• KEUT and KAT are two strokes, and combining them gives you KEUT/KAT, meaning "KitKat" (Raw Steno)
• An outline may only have one stroke, like KAT, so it can look just like a stroke. The difference is that strokes on their own can't translate into anything, since they're just the building blocks of outlines.

Translation

Noun

A word, phrase, part of a word or phase, sound, affix, command, punctuation, or any other output that would be emitted from writing an outline.

Verb

To translate is to look up the translation of an outline.

• For example, the outline KAT translates to "cat".

Command

Noun

A type of translation that is meant to perform some action in a steno engine, rather than just emitting text.

• For example, a command may make capitalize the next word, open a popup in Plover, or delete the last written stroke.

Untran

Noun

An "untranslate", or untran, is the raw steno outputted when a stroke does not translate to anything, because that stroke is not in the dictionary.

Entry

Noun

A dictionary entry is a mapping between an outline and its translation.

• For example, the outline HOT/TKOG might map to the translation "hotdog".

Dictionary

Noun

A set of outlines with mappings to their translations, or a collection of entries.

Lookup

Noun

The process of "looking up" a translation from a given outline in a dictionary.

Reverse Lookup

Noun

The process of "looking up" the set of outlines that map to a given translation in a dictionary.

• Called "reverse lookup" as it is the opposite of regular lookup.
• Each outline that reverse lookup gives you could be looked up to get the translation you reverse(ly?) looked up.

Generated

Adjective

A generated dictionary is not created manually, but instead made using a program that will generate the dictionary given some input.

• Generated dictionaries often require some amount of manual tweaking.
• A generated dictionary is not necessarily programmatic - it may instead be generated ahead-of-time as a normal JSON dictionary.

Programmatic

Adjective

A dictionary being programmatic means that it translates outlines as you write them, rather having a pre-defined collection of entries.

• Programmatic dictionaries are inherently generated, but they are specifically generated while strokes are being written, rather than ahead-of-time.

Modal

Adjective

A dictionary being modal means that it may contain different entries, and thus "do different things", depending on what mode you are in. Modes can be switched with a mode-switching stroke, chord, or outline, or based on context.

• An example modal dictionary might be movement. You can enter one stroke to start moving, and then use the -R, -P, -B, and -G keys to move around like arrow keys.

JSON Dictionary

Noun

A dictionary in JSON (.json) format. Used by Plover and Javelin to store enumerated outlines.

• Link to Dictionary format when that is added

Theory Rule

Noun

A "rule" defining some part of how outlines should be mapped to translations in a theory.

• Theories are made up of theory rules

Theory

Noun

A set of theory rules that defines how outlines should map to translations.

• Theories usually come with dictionaries, which are usually the theory author's best attempt to follow their theory rules.

Long

Adjective

A long theory uses a lot of strokes to write words, more than a short theory.

Short

Adjective

A short theory uses a fewer strokes to write words than a long theory.

Phonetic

Adjective

Describing a theory where words are written how they sound rather than how they are spelled.

Orthographic

Adjective

Describing a theory where words are written how they are spelled rather than how they sound.

Full-English

Adjective

A full-English theory is designed to write all of English - or any other language(s) - rather than for a specific purpose like numbers, phrasing, movement, etc.

Hobbyist

Adjective

Relating to being used by non-professionals who are doing stenography as a hobby rather than a career path.

• Hobbyist theories may be optimized for different things than professional ones.

Professional

Adjective

Relating to being used by professional court reporters or closed captioners.

Conflict

Noun, Verb

A situation where an outline has multiple valid translations according to your theory or dictionary.

• There are many types of conflicts, (word boundary, word-affix), and they can occur for many different reasons.
• In order to translate to something, conflicts must be resolved.

Conflict Resolution

Noun, Verb

How conflicts are "resolved", or fixed, in a theory.

• Conflict resolution can happen during dictionary building, automatically based on context, or later during editing.

Word Boundary Conflict

Noun

A type of conflict that occurs when it is unclear which strokes should belong to which outlines, meaning there multiple valid choices.

• For example, the strokes AOEU/KOPB/TABGT could translate to "eye contact" or "icon tact".
• Unlike most conflicts, steno engines will allow you to add these to your dictionary, and try to will resolve them as they are _written

Word-affix Conflict

Noun

A type of conflict where it is unclear whether an outline should translate to a word or an affix.

• For example, a theory may use TPHAEUGS for "nation", or for "^ination".

Homophonic Conflict

Noun

A type of conflict that occurs when two words sound the same but are spelled differently, such as "base" and "bass".

Proper Noun Conflict

Noun

A type of of conflict where it is unclear whether an outline should be a proper noun or a common noun.

• For example, PHABGS could be "max" or "Max"
• Some theories use * or # for proper nouns

Writing

Verb

Steno's equivalent to "typing", which involves inputting strokes onto a steno writer.

Write-out

Noun

An outline that follows all theory rules, and isn't shortened, or abbreviated, in any way.

Brief

Noun

An "abbreviated" outline, used to reduce the number of strokes required to write a translation.

Verb

To "abbreviate" an outline. To use a translation's brief rather than its write-out.

Misstroke

Noun, Adjective

An incorrectly written outline. In a dictionary, misstrokes are added as entries with commonly misstroked outlines, that way if you misstroke a given translation that has a misstroke entry, it will still properly translate.

• If you incorrectly write an outline, you can add it to your dictionary translating to the word you actually meant to write instead, that way if you make the same mistake later, you won't have to undo and write the word again.

Verb

Writing the wrong outline on accident.

Arbitrary

Noun, Adjective

An arbitrary outline does not follow the rules of the theory, and has to be memorized manually.

• Sometimes shortened to "arb".

Phrase

Noun

A type of brief that translates to multiple words, or a "phrase", such as "in the", or "because of".

Shorten

Verb

To shorten a translation is to reduce the number of strokes required to write it, usually by using a briefing technique.

• See also short.

Mandatory

Noun, Adjective

An outline with no write-out, and only briefs, meaning it's "mandatory" that you memorize the brief.

• Usually, the write-out is taken by another outline, typically a brief.

Vestige

Noun, Adjective (Vestigial)

A dictionary entry that exists because of a theory rule that no longer exists in the theory, but is still in the dictionary.

Raw Steno

Noun

A notation for writing keys, strokes, chords, and outlines in a human-readable form.

• Some examples:
• -T is a key on the final bank of the WSI Layout.
• KWR- is a chord in the initial bank of the WSI Layout.
• KAT is a stroke.
• KEUT/KAT is an outline that contains 2 strokes.

Steno Order

Noun

The order that the keys of a layout are written in with raw steno.

• The WSI Layout's steno order is STKPWHRAOEUFRPBLGTSDZ.

Layout

Noun

A set of keys with labels, often grouped into banks, often with a defined steno order, that can be grouped into chords.

• The most common, and "standard" steno layout is the WSI Layout, as well as the Extended Stenotype Layout for hobbyist use.

WSI Layout

Noun

The "standard" steno layout. Featuring 23 keys, in steno order: STKPWHRAO*EUFRPBLGTSDZ.

WSI has 3 banks: The initials, the vowels, and the finals.

• See WSI.

Extended Stenotype Layout

Noun

An "extended" version of the WSI layout featuring 2 more keys, ^ and +.

System

Noun

Not to be confused with a text input system, a steno system is a definition of keys, suffixes, and orthography rules, among other things, that Plover and Javelin can use to control your layout.

• See https://plover.readthedocs.io/en/latest/plugin-dev/systems.html and https://github.com/jthlim/javelin-system

Steno Engine

Noun

A steno engine is a program that translates outlines into text or keypresses as you write them.

• Plover and Javelin are two steno engines :p

Plover

Noun

A popular hobbyist steno engine that runs as an app on your computer. Plover can be used to steno on qwerty keyboards, hobbyist boards, and professional steno writers.

• Download/learn more: https://opensteno.org

Javelin

Noun

Javelin is An embedded steno engine that can run on most hobbyist keyboards. By running directly on the keyboard itself, you avoid needing to keep an application running to use steno.

• Website: https://lim.au/#/software/javelin-steno

Embedded

Adjective

An embedded steno engine runs on the keyboard itself, rather than being a program on the computer you're typing on.

• Javelin is an embedded engine

Text Input System

Noun

Not to be confused with a steno system, A text input system is a method of inputting text onto a computer.

Steno Writer

Noun

A steno writer, or just "writer", is any kind of stenographic input device, including both professional steno machines and hobbyist steno keyboards.

Steno Machine

Noun

A steno machine is type of steno writer used by professionals.

Steno Keyboard

Noun

A steno keyboard, or hobbyist keyboard, is a writer used by hobbyists. It is a normal(ish) keyboard rather a full on steno machine.

Stenotype Machine

Noun

A stenotype machine, or just "stenotype" is another word for a steno writer, usually referring to a professional steno machine

NKRO

Noun

N-key rollover, or NKRO, means that a keyboard can register every key press, regardless of how many are pressed down. Many keyboards can only register a few keys being pressed down before any more keys won't register at all.

• NKRO is basically required for chording, as you need to press down many keys at once.

QWERTY

Noun

QWERTY is the standard layout found on most keyboards. In steno, it often refers to regular typing as opposed to chording.

WPM

Noun

Words per minute, or "wpm", is a measure of speed - it's the number of "words" you can write in a minute, where a word is just 5 characters.

• WPM is used in a lot of typing websites, though professionals often use the number of actual words spoken in a minute.

Chorded

Adjective

A system of text input where keys are pressed together at once, rather than in sequence (serially).

Serial

Adjective

A system of text input where keys are pressed in sequence, rather than in chords (chorded).

Merge

Adjective

Using one chord to mean multiple sounds or spellings in a way that doesn't create many conflicts.

• For example, in the WSI layout, the "x" and "kshun" sounds are merged, meaning one chord is used for both sounds.

Bank

Noun

A logical group of keys on a layout, used to organize keys based on their position.

• The WSI layout has 3 banks: the initials, the vowels, and the finals.

Initial

Noun, Adjective

The bank with the "initial" or "starting" sound or spelling of a word.

Can also refer to a key, chord, stroke, or outline in the initial bank.

• E.g. the "c" in "cat"
• Sometimes called the "starter" bank.
• In the WSI Layout these are the S-, T-, K-, P-, W-, H-, and R- keys.

Vowel

Noun, Adjective

The bank with the vowel sound or spelling of a word. One of the 3 banks on the WSI Layout

Can also refer to a key, chord, stroke, or outline in the vowel bank.

• E.g. the "a" in "cat"
• In the WSI Layout these are the A, O, *, E, and U keys.

Final

Noun, Adjective

The bank with the ending sound or spelling of a word, one of the 3 banks on the WSI Layout

Can also refer to a key, chord, stroke, or outline in the final bank.

• E.g. the "t" in "cat"
• Sometimes called the "ender" bank (no relation to Minecraft :p).
• In the WSI Layout these are the -F, -R, -P, -B, -L, -G, -T, -S, -D, and -Z keys.

Skeleton

Noun, Adjective

A stroke that has no vowel keys.

• For example, PH-RB is a skeleton, but PHARB is not, as it contains the vowel key A.

Label

Noun

A key's label is the face letter of that key. The S- key's label is "S", same with -S.

Fingerspelling

Noun, Adjective

A theory/dictionary where words are written letter-by-letter, allowing you to write words that aren't otherwise in your dictionary.

Verb

Writing with a fingerspelling theory/dictionary.

Orthospelling

Noun

A method of writing words multiple letters at a time using an orthospelling theory/dictionary.

Adjective

An orthospelling theory/dictionary is fully orthographic. It's like fingerspelling, but uses the whole layout, or more of the layout than just one fingerspelling bank.

An orthographic theory/dictionary where words are written multiple letters at a time.

Verb

The act of writing using an orthospelling theory or dictionary.

Shrimple

Noun

An orthospelling theory for the WSI layout. It uses a dedicated initial key, and is optionally modal, meaning you can stay in Shrimple mode.

• https://github.com/StenoHarri/Shrimple

Unique

Adjective

A synonym of dedicated: a key, chord, stroke, or outline that is reserved for a specific purpose and cannot be used for anything else.

Dedicated

Adjective

A key, chord, stroke, or outline that is reserved for a specific purpose and cannot be used for anything else.

• Most dictionaries that provide things like numbers, symbols, or phrasing, require a dedicated chord so they don't conflict with regular English words.
• Synonym of unique

Realtime

Adjective

A type of shorthand where words are translated live, rather than a stenographer taking shorthand notes that must be later translated into English.

Undo Stack

Noun

Steno engines maintain a stack of translations that can be undone using the undo stroke (* in most theories), which will perform the correct number of backspaces to undo the translation.

• Some translations cannot be undone, such as keyboard shortcuts (there's no way to undo pressing control+t, as it could mean different things in different programs)

Other Sources

• Plover Wiki Glossary - https://plover.wiki/index.php/Glossary
• Steno Explainers - https://sammdot.ca/steno/explainers
• Lapwing Glossary - https://lapwing.aerick.ca/Glossary.html
• Learn Plover! Glossary - https://www.opensteno.org/learn-plover/glossary.html
• StudySteno Glossary - https://studysteno.com/moo/mod/glossary/view.php?id=22
• Plover Wiki Steno Hardware Terminology - https://plover.wiki/index.php/Steno_hardware_terminology

Terms not covered here:

• Vernon Court Reporters Transcription & Court Reporting Glossary - https://academy.vernoncourtreporters.com

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Edit: Sorry I'm a Lisper I don't know how to close my parens

Last updated August 13, 2026