# Terps

> Terps is slang for terpenes, and loosely for a cannabis cultivar's whole aroma and flavour, even though many aroma compounds are not terpenes.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terps.html
- Also written: terp, terpy, terp-heavy, terp profile, terpage
- Glossary category: Grower slang and culture · Evidence: Supported
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Terps is slang for [terpenes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene.md), the volatile compounds that give cannabis much of its smell. "Great terps" means great aroma and flavour; "terpy" flower smells strong.

## In practice

The slang is broader than the chemistry. Cannabis aroma includes [monoterpenes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/monoterpene.md) (myrcene, limonene, pinene), [sesquiterpenes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/sesquiterpene.md) (caryophyllene, humulene), and non-terpene compounds such as esters, aldehydes and [volatile sulfur compounds](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/volatile-sulfur-compounds.md), some of which dominate the smell at tiny concentrations. A [lab report](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/coa.md) listing total terpenes as 2-4% w/w does not tell you how a jar smells.

Terps are fragile. Heat, light, long open-air exposure and fast drying drive them off. A slow dry in a cool room and a cure that lowers moisture gradually keep them. [Two-way humidity packs](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/humidity-pack.md), in GenetixBay's view, rob terpenes; if a jar is [too dry](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/over-drying.md), a fresh bud is a better way to add moisture.

## Don't confuse with

- **Terpene**: the chemical class; terps is the slang for the experience.
- **Flavonoids**: colour and some flavour compounds, not terpenes.

## Myth check

"Specific terpenes cause specific effects." Reported, not established for flower in real use. Effects claims based on [terpene profiles](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene-profile.md) remain largely unproven.

## Related terms

[Terpene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene.md), [Candy terps](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/candy-terps.md), [Gas](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/gas.md), [Loud](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/loud.md), [Chemotype](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/chemotype.md)

## Read more

- [Why everything tastes the same: the evidence that commercial cannabis is converging](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/why-everything-tastes-the-same.md)

## Sources

1. Smith CJ, Vergara D, Keegan B, Jikomes N. 2022. The phytochemical diversity of commercial Cannabis in the United States. PLOS ONE 17(5):e0267498. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267498
2. Watts S, McElroy M, Migicovsky Z, et al. 2021. Cannabis labelling is associated with genetic variation in terpene synthase genes. Nature Plants 7:1330-1334. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-021-01003-y