It can almost feel as though you are talking an entirely different language to others once you arrive at Oxford. Over the past 800 years, Oxford students have developed some strange and wonderful words for certain things. This is a comprehensive list of Oxford words that you will come across as an LMH undergrad.

A full Oxford Glossary (provided by the uni) can be found here – https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation/history/oxford-glossary

A
Ashmolean	The University’s museum of art and archaeology located on Beaumont St. It is also the oldest museum in the UK!
B
Battels	The charges from college for accommodation, library fines etc. Your battels accounts can be found on the LMH Intranet.
Blue	A blue is the highest sporting achievement that you can receive for playing certain university sports. Usually awarded to those who have played in an annual Varsity Match.
Bod	A nickname for the Bodleian Library.
Bod Card	Your university student ID card.
C
Cherwell	A major tributary of the Thames that runs through Oxford. Also the name of a popular student news publication.
Collections	Mock exams taken in 0th week that cover the previous term’s work.
Coming up/Going down	Arriving at Oxford at the beginning of the term/leaving at the end.
Commoner	A student who does not have a scholarship or exhibition.
Cuppers	Inter-collegiate tournaments. These are usually for different sports.
D
Dean	The Fellow responsible for supervising the conduct and discipline of the Junior Members of the College. To be ‘deaned’ is to be sent to the Dean.
Domestic Bursar	The college officer (often a Fellow of the College) with overall responsibility for domestic aspects of college life, including accommodation, security, catering and housekeeping, external lettings and sometimes sports facilities and administrative non-academic staff.
Don	A professor, a lecturer or a Fellow.
E
Eights	Inter-collegiate rowing races, held in Trinity Term.
Entz	A shortened term for ‘entertainments’ that are usually organised by an ‘Entz Team’ – these are the Social Secretaries in LMH.
Examination Regulations	The large grey book containing details of syllabuses for all courses, currently issued to all students as they start their course.
Exhibition	A lesser student scholarship.
F
Fellows	The senior members of College.
Finalist	Any student who is about to take their final exams.
Finals	Final examinations at the end of three or four years as an undergraduate student – the level of degree awarded is largely dependent on performance in these exams.
First	Highest class of degree.
First Public Examination	Exams normally taken at the end of the first year, although there are exceptions, and that must be passed for a student to be allowed to continue their course; called either prelims or mods.
Formal Hall	A traditional meal held in college. At LMH, formal attire (but not gowns) is usually word. Some colleges require gowns to be worn.
Fresher	A first year student
G
Gaudy	A fancy formal hall for the older members (mostly third or forth years) in college.
Governing Body	The body defined in the Statutes of each college that has responsibility for the governance of their college.
H
Hack	A derogatory term for students who are involved in the Union or student journalism.
Hall	The dining hall.
High Table	The table at the head of the dining hall where the fellows sit. Students may sometimes be invited to sit there.
Hilary Term	The second term of the academic year’s three terms.
I
Isis	The part of the River Thames that runs through Oxford.
J
JCR	Junior Common Room – 1) The undergraduate body of the college. 2) A name for the undergraduate executive committee in college. 3) The recreational room located at the bottom of the Katie Lee building in LMH.
L
Lecturer	Lecturers are those who have the responsibility to present lectures, to which all university students in that discipline may go. In Oxford, not all lecturers are Fellows of colleges.
LMH	Lady Margaret Hall.
Long Vac	Long vacation – the name widely used for the period between the end of Trinity Term and the beginning of Michaelmas Term each year.
M
Matriculation	Matriculation confers membership of the University on those students who are enrolled at the University of Oxford and following a degree-level course. Freshers will matriculate at the end of the First Week of Michaelmas.
MCR	Middle Common Room – the self governing body and social centre for graduate students in a college. Fourth year students at LMH can either choose to have JCR or MCR membership. The MCR is located in the Clore Graduate Centre in LMH.
Michaelmas Term	The first term of the academic year.
Mods	(abbrev. Moderations) Honour Moderations are first year univeristy (or in the case of classics, second year) exams. They are the “First Public Examination” for the degree of B.A. Results are classified as Firsts, Seconds etc., Not all students take Mods – some take Prelims, depending on the subject in question.
N
Norrington Table	A league table of colleges published annually, showing comparative performance of students in Finals.
Noughth Week	The week before the beginning of Full Term.
O
Oxford SU	Oxford University Student Union (formerly OUSU).
P
Part Finals	The idea of taking half of Finals exams at the end of the second or third year, and taking the second half at the end of the Third or Fourth year, with both counting towards the final degree attained.
Permanent Private Hall (PPH)	A religious hall which has been licensed by the university to matriculate students for degree. There are six Permanent Private Halls.
Pidge	Shortened term for ‘Pigeon Hole.’ This is where all of your post will be delivered to. Each tutor in LMH has a ‘pidge’ that you can drop work off at.
Plodge	Shortened term for ‘Porter’s Lodge.’
Prelims	(abbrev. Preliminaries) Preliminary examinations are first year examinations and are not classified into Firsts, Seconds etc. These are only awarded on a Pass/Fail/Distinction basis.
Principal	The head of the college. Currently Alan Rusbridger.
Punt	A long narrow boat that can be propelled by a long pole. LMH have their own punts located at the river. They can be rented out for a small cost in Trinity Term. Perfect for a sunny day.
Purple Lady	The exclusive LMH cocktail. Can be purchased in the LMH bar.
R
RON	(abbrev. Re-Open Nominations) the only candidate that runs in every student election.
Rustication	The withdrawal of the right of access to the land, buildings and facilities of the university, including teaching, exams and all related academic services, for a fixed period of time or until specified conditions are met. It usually occurs as a result of a major disciplinary offence.
S
Scholarship	An award given to students based on academic performance or contribution to the Choir. Most students who receive a scholarship have achieved a Distinction/First in a public examination. Scholars are permitted to wear a ‘Scholar’s gown.’
Schools	Various meanings – can refer to Examination Schools, a large building on High Street where some exams are taken and lectures are held; or to Prelims/Mods/Finals in general “to take Schools”; or to a course “Honour School of Philosophy”.
Sconce	An Oxford tradition that resembles the drinking game ‘Never have I ever.’
Scout	The housekeepers in college.
SCR	Senior Common Room – the organisation to which all Fellows and College lecturers belong. The SCR is also the name of the room in college which is used by SCR members for a coffee and reading room, as well as for special events hosted by SCR members. (See also the JCR and MCR).
Sending Down	Known as ‘termination of course’; where a student is expelled from the University for failing the First Public Examination twice, or from college for failing penal collections, or for a disciplinary offence.
Sheldonian Theatre	The main ceremonial hall used by the University for events such as Encaenia, Matriculation and degree ceremonies.
SOLO	Oxford’s online library catalogue.
Subfusc	Formal attire worn by students and academics on formal occasions, including matriculation, examinations and graduation. It is made up of a dark suit, skirt or trousers, a white shirt or blouse and a white or black bow tie, black full-length tie or black ribbon, worn with a black gown and a mortar-board. The name derives from the Latin subfuscus, meaning dark brown.
T
Tab	A member of the University of Cambridge.
The Other Place	The University of Cambridge.
The Union	The University debating society (NB not to be confused with Oxford University Students Union, or OUSU).
Torpids	Inter-collegiate rowing races, held in Hilary Term.
Trinity Term	Summer term.
Tutor	Someone who teaches students on an individual basis or in pairs. They may be a Fellow, JRF, or a graduate. They act as both a teacher and an academic guide.
Tutorial	Undergraduates attend, on average, one hour-long tutorial every week, either on a one-to-one basis or with one or two other students. Students must undertake a considerable number of hours’ preparatory work for each tutorial, including background reading, essay-writing and problem-solving.
Tutorial System	The college teaching system whereby undergraduates are taught in very small groups by a tutor (usually a Fellow of the college). Through tutorials, students develop powers of independent and critical thought, analytical and problem-solving abilities, and skills in both written and oral communication and argument.
U
Undergraduate	Someone studying for their first degree.
V
Vac	Abbreviation of vacation – the periods between terms; see also Long Vac.
Varsity Match	Sporting fixture between Oxford and Cambridge