The modern cannabis dictionary

Start with the plant

Flower: The dried buds of the cannabis plant. It may be sold whole, as smaller buds, or milled.

Cultivar: A cultivated variety of cannabis. Retailers also say strain, although a product name is not a precise chemical description.

Pre-roll: Dried flower already rolled into a joint. An infused pre-roll includes an extract such as hash, kief, or oil.

Trichomes: Tiny resin-producing structures on the plant. They contain cannabinoids and many aromatic compounds. The loose material collected from them is commonly called kief.

Phenotype: The characteristics a plant expresses as it grows. Two plants with related genetics can still differ in appearance, aroma, and chemistry.

A product name, producer, and package label together make it much easier to find something familiar again.

Learn the label numbers

THC: The main intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis. Higher amounts generally increase the risk of impairment and unwanted effects.

CBD: A cannabinoid that does not produce the typical THC high. Non-intoxicating does not mean interaction-free or medically risk-free.

Total THC / Total CBD: Label values that account for the amount of cannabinoid available after potential conversion of its precursor. These are important comparison numbers, particularly for products meant to be heated.

mg/g: Milligrams per gram, a concentration measure. For example, 150 mg/g is approximately 15%. mg per unit means the amount in one gummy, capsule, or other discrete piece. They are not interchangeable measurements.

Balanced: A retail description for products containing meaningful amounts of both THC and CBD. It is not a universal formula; read the actual ratio.

Decode aroma and chemistry

Terpenes: Aromatic compounds found in cannabis and many other plants. Think citrus, pine, floral, earthy, or peppery. Their possible contributions to the experience are an active area of research.

Terpene profile: A list or measurement of terpenes in a product. It can help you compare aromas and keep track of patterns in products you like; it cannot reliably predict the whole experience.

Cannabinoids: Chemical compounds that include THC and CBD, as well as less familiar names such as CBG and CBN. Evidence for their effects varies considerably by compound, dose, and use.

Indica / sativa / hybrid: Common retail categories. Indica is often associated with more relaxing experiences, sativa with more stimulating ones, and hybrid with a mix. People may find these patterns useful, but products within each category vary and individual responses differ.

Know your concentrates

Kief / dry sift: Separated trichomes, often appearing as a powder or granular material.

Hash / hashish: Concentrated trichome resin, commonly collected and sometimes pressed. Different traditions and processes produce different textures.

Bubble hash / ice-water hash: Trichome concentrate separated with cold water and filtration. Full melt describes hash that melts with very little solid residue when heated. The term is an industry description rather than a standardized Canadian grade.

Rosin: An extract produced with heat and pressure, without adding an extraction solvent. Live rosin generally starts with freshly frozen material.

Live resin: A cannabis extract generally made from freshly frozen plant material using a controlled extraction process. Live refers to the freshly frozen starting material.

Distillate: A highly refined cannabis extract used in some vapes and infused products.

Shatter, wax, badder, sauce, diamonds: Names that often describe extract texture or form. They do not all describe the same process, and none tells you the THC level by itself.

Understand formats and hardware

510 cartridge: A cannabis vape cartridge designed for a compatible 510-thread battery. Cartridge, battery, and all-in-one vape are different things.

Disposable / all-in-one: A vape with its battery and extract in one unit, rather than a removable cartridge.

Infused: Cannabis combined with an extract. An infused pre-roll can be substantially stronger than a regular flower pre-roll.

Softgel: A capsule containing a measured cannabis preparation. Read THC and CBD per capsule, not only per package.

Topical: A cannabis-containing product applied to the skin. It is a different format from a swallowed oil; ingredients and intended use are listed on the package.

Other words you’ll see on menus

Craft: Usually describes cannabis produced on a smaller scale, often with more hands-on growing and processing. Retailers may have their own standards for what qualifies.

Small-batch: Made in relatively small production runs. It tells you something about scale, but not necessarily quality or strength.

Premium / exotic: Descriptions for products presented as higher-end, unusual, or sought-after. They are not measurements of potency or freshness.

Gas / gassy: Slang for a strong, fuel-like aroma. It describes a smell, not a guaranteed effect.

Solventless: A concentrate made without chemical extraction solvents, often using water, heat, or pressure. It can still contain high concentrations of THC.

Full-spectrum: Often used for extracts that retain a broader range of cannabis compounds than highly refined distillate. The exact mixture depends on the product.

These words help describe production, aroma, and style. Pair them with the product type, ingredients, THC and CBD values, and producer for a fuller picture.