Organization & program
- Scouting America — the organization's name (renamed from Boy Scouts of America, Feb 8, 2025); see Scouting in America.
- Scouts BSA — the program for youth roughly 11–17 (the troop program); name unchanged after the rename.
- Cub Scouting / Venturing / Sea Scouts / Exploring — other Scouting America programs (younger youth; older-youth adventure and career).
- WOSM — World Organization of the Scout Movement; see Scouting Worldwide.
- Troop / Patrol — the local unit and its small teams; see The Patrol Method and How a Patrol Works.
- Chartered organization — the community group (church, school, civic org) that sponsors a unit.
Leadership & operations
- SPL / ASPL — Senior / Assistant Senior Patrol Leader; see SPL and ASPL.
- PL / APL — Patrol Leader / Assistant Patrol Leader; see PL and APL (APL does not count for advancement).
- PLC — Patrol Leaders' Council; see PLC.
- POR — Position of Responsibility; see Positions of Responsibility.
- Scoutmaster (SM) / Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) — the adult leaders who guide the troop.
Advancement
- Ranks — Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, Eagle; see How Advancement Works.
- SMC / BOR — Scoutmaster Conference / Board of Review; see SMC and BOR.
- Merit badge / Blue card / Counselor — see Merit Badges, Blue Cards, Counselor.
- EDGE — Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable (the teaching method); see Star Rank.
- Eagle Palms — post-Eagle awards; see Eagle Palms. Scout spirit — living the Oath and Law daily; see Scout Spirit.
Ideals
- Scout Oath / Scout Law / Motto / Slogan — see Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan.
- Good Turn — an extra, unrewarded helpful act (the slogan in action); see Scout Slogan.
- Scoutmaster's Minute — a brief reflective closing message; see Campfire Programs.
Skills & safety programs
- Totin' Chip / Firem'n Chit — earned permission to use woods tools / fire; see Totin' Chip and Firem'n Chit (card text never reprinted).
- Leave No Trace (LNT) — the outdoor-ethics principles; see Leave No Trace.
- Safe Swim Defense / Safety Afloat — aquatics safety frameworks; see Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat.
Uniform & gear
- Field uniform ("Class A") / Activity uniform ("Class B") — see Field Uniform and Activity Uniform.
- Neckerchief / Slide (woggle) — see Neckerchief; Merit badge sash — see Merit Badge Sash.
- Guide to Awards and Insignia — the authority on patch placement; see Insignia Placement.
Events & the Order of the Arrow
- Camporee / Klondike Derby — district skills-competition campouts; see Camporees.
- Summer camp / High adventure (Philmont, Sea Base, Northern Tier, Summit) — see Summer Camp and High Adventure.
- Court of honor — a recognition ceremony; see Courts of Honor. Jamboree — a large Scout gathering; see Scouting Worldwide.
- Order of the Arrow (OA) / Ordeal / Lodge — the honor society and its induction and units; see Order of the Arrow and OA Representative.
About this glossary
This is an index — each definition is a short paraphrase of content sourced in its home topic (linked above). No term is defined here more authoritatively than in its home topic, and no requirement or card text is reprinted. Terminology uses the current "Scouting America" name.