# "W00t! PWND!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 1, 2005, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552 "2005-09-01T05:02:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/1 "2005-09-01T05:02:25Z")
Explain please. Both words would be nice. I know and get the term “Owned”…but what did someone do, accidently hit the ‘P’ key instead of the ‘O’ one time? They are next to each other on the keyboard, after all. Where did Pwnd come from? And what’s the deal with “w00t”? When would I say that? Under what circumstances? I assume when I was feeling happy…but what exactly does it mean? It is supposed to take place of “YES!”? Inquiring minds want to know. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/2 "2005-09-01T06:08:49Z")
[This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=329624&highlight=woot) might help a little bit. Woot is a cry of joy. Just like “YES” or “WOOHOO” (wtf does “woohoo” mean?) Pwned was _probably_ used once upon a time to make fun of excited n00bs making typing errors, who also type many exclamation marks like this !!!111 (releasing the shift key - probably not originally done on purpose). It seemed to be amusing enough that it was adopted by others, and of course, they evolved. ie: !!!eleven!!! Similar to Doperisms like “Og”, “I burning your dog/or insert your own version here” and “I am masturbating like a m\*_ **f** _k” - I assume many of these words just evolved from the errors of others. That’s just my reasoning, I don’t know any facts/lore about l337. Ha ha. teh funneh. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/3 "2005-09-01T16:59:09Z")
The original use of “owned” was in the phrase “I ownj00!” (“I have owned you” = “I have crushed you like a bug. Bow before me.” ) Pwned arose from the common typo of p for o. I believe it became popular on the Everquest online gaming environment, but it might predate Everquest. Pwned in other words, is slang for “You suck! I rule! Ha Ha!” ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/4 "2005-09-01T17:02:50Z")
Here is a comic about pwned! [http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20050818](http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20050818) ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/5 "2005-09-01T17:29:04Z")
What about suxx0rz? I’ve always wondered but not enough to look it up, until now. It’s really been bugging me lately. Sucker, right, but why the Xs? 'Cause they look cool? ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/6 "2005-09-01T18:04:30Z")
One of my co-workers named her fantasy football team “My Little Pwnies.” Heh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/7 "2005-09-01T18:17:03Z")
The story I’ve heard is that “woot” is a shortening of “Woo! Loot!” from Everquest. It was the appropriate response to finding something good on the body of the guy you just killed. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/8 "2005-09-01T18:27:48Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > Woot is a cry of joy. Just like “YES” or “WOOHOO” (wtf does “woohoo” mean?) I know when I say “Woo-hoo!” in a moment of joy or high-spiritedness, I feel like I’m channeling Homer Simpson. I doubt that combination of sounds passed through his animated lips first before all others, but I reckon he’s the touchstone for the phrase, now. ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/9 "2005-09-01T22:01:15Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Here is a comic about pwned! > [http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20050818](http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20050818) I was just scanning the pvp archives for that exact comic. I have been pwned. ☹ > [@Ashes](#): > > What about suxx0rz? I’ve always wondered but not enough to look it up, until now. It’s really been bugging me lately. Sucker, right, but why the Xs? 'Cause they look cool? Well, “x” is obviously more X-treme than those silly c’s and k’s. I think “suxx0rz” may be a mutant offspring of “haxxorz” (aka: “hackers”, the bad kind). And from context, it doesn’t seem to be used to actually imply “suckers”, but more like an extreme form of “sucks”. So someone who’s not good “sucks”, someone even worse than that “suxx0rz”. See also: roxxorz my soxxorz. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/10 "2005-09-01T22:04:49Z")
> [@sciguy](#): > > See also: roxxorz my soxxorz. Also: b0xx0rs. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/11 "2005-09-01T22:13:37Z")
> [@sciguy](#): > > Well, “x” is obviously more X-treme than those silly c’s and k’s. I think “suxx0rz” may be a mutant offspring of “haxxorz” (aka: “hackers”, the bad kind). And from context, it doesn’t seem to be used to actually imply “suckers”, but more like an extreme form of “sucks”. So someone who’s not good “sucks”, someone even worse than that “suxx0rz”. > See also: roxxorz my soxxorz. I \*knew \* it! Or-- I \*xnewz \* itz!!!11!!1 ---
**Author:** ![pencilpusher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d6d6ee/32.png) [@pencilpusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pencilpusher)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/12 "2005-09-01T22:24:20Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > The story I’ve heard is that “woot” is a shortening of “Woo! Loot!” from Everquest. It was the appropriate response to finding something good on the body of the guy you just killed. That’s a crock. I’ve been saying “WOOT” since high school! :wally ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/13 "2005-09-01T22:33:59Z")
Woot is also used in the military. Kind of like Hu-rah. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/14 "2005-09-01T22:35:40Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > The story I’ve heard is that “woot” is a shortening of “Woo! Loot!” from Everquest. It was the appropriate response to finding something good on the body of the guy you just killed. Nahhhh… I don’t think so, though I could be wrong. I’ve been playing Everquest (and recently EQII) now for… cripes, five, six years now? (omg I am teh uberness with teh phat lewts)(with no life) but I’ve heard “woot!” for several years before that on a few message boards. (Incidentally, I refuse to speak like that when playing EQ, I type as I type here. If and when I speak l337, it is to be very sarcastic, or timed just right to get a laugh. Or rather, a big spam line of "LOL"from my guildies or /ooc.) I tell you, you want to see all the recent l337 phrases, go hang out on the GameFAQS message boards for a while and you’ll see all the young’uns posturing for each other there. Or, of course, any MMORPG. FTR, I know and use “woohoo” all the time, but I think it makes as much or as little sense as “woot” in any situation. Or “yay”. Or “hooray”, “hurrah”, “huzzah” etc. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/15 "2005-09-02T00:10:44Z")
> [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > And what’s the deal with “w00t”? When would I say that? Under what circumstances? I assume when I was feeling happy…but what exactly does it mean? It is supposed to take place of “YES!”? > Inquiring minds want to know. I see you’re a n00b. 😃 “w00t” doesn’t really “mean” anything. It’s simply an exclamation used to express joy when something good happens. ---
**Author:** ![pestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@pestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pestie)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/16 "2005-09-02T15:53:29Z")
[Everything you ever wanted to know about l33tspeak](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leet) ---
**Author:** ![PinkNailFile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@PinkNailFile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkNailFile)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/17 "2005-09-02T15:57:39Z")
I prefer “woot to the toot.” ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/18 "2005-09-02T16:02:16Z")
And if you ever want to use “pwned” in speach, it’s pronounced “poned” (rhymes with “boned”). At least, that’s how I’ve heard people say it. And yes, I have heard people say it. Gotta love voice chat. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/19 "2005-09-02T16:25:32Z")
Romeo and Juliette translated to leet speek. This is a somewhat funny falsh movie. > **[Tales for the L33T: Romeo and Juliet](https://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/romjul)** > > Tales for the L33T: Romeo and Juliet, a Flash Animated video by Chris Coutts. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552/20 "2005-09-02T16:38:58Z")
> [@Amok](#): > > And if you ever want to use “pwned” in speach, it’s pronounced “poned” (rhymes with “boned”). At least, that’s how I’ve heard people say it. And yes, I have heard people say it. Gotta love voice chat. I prefer pawned, myself. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/w00t-pwnd/319552.md?page=2)