List of terms (TOS)

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The Colonials and Cylons employ a distinct nomenclature of military jargon, colloquialisms, sayings, and technical terms to create a culture distinctly "alien" to the audience. This article serves to organize and summarize this terminology, leading to different articles if the term needs to be further expanded upon.

The formatting of this article allows for its use in conjunction with the Lingo extension used throughout Battlestar Wiki. This includes multiple spellings, each listed on its own line, preceding the definition of the definidendum.

Acronyms

CORA
C.O.R.A.: Computer, Oral Response Activated; an artificial intelligence capable of operating a Viper ^{(TOS: "The Long Patrol")}

Honorifics

Count: a title of nobility (e.g. Count Iblis)
Lord: a title of nobility (e.g. Lord Baltar)
Sire: a title of nobility akin to "Sir," typically ascribed to a civilian of the male gender (e.g. Sire Uri, Sire Solon)
Siress: a title of nobility, typically ascribed to a civilian of the female gender (e.g. Siress Tinia, Siress Blassie)

Colloquialisms

astrum: buttocks ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I")}
Barge Lice
barge lice: disparaging term for prisoners on the Prison Barge
crasoney: disparagement, perhaps akin to "cretin"; Boomer refers to Sire Bogan's men thusly, after said men burgle Siress Belloby's energizer from Boomer and Starbuck's sled (see: felgercarb)
equinus' atrum: disparagement, akin to "horse's ass"; Apollo reveals feeling thusly for disbelieving Chameleon's suggestion that he might be Starbuck's father ^{(TOS: "The Man with Nine Lives")}
felgercarb: expletive, similar to "crap" (see: felgercarb)
frack: expletive, similar to "shit" (see: frack)
galmonging: an expletive, possibly similar to "asshole" or "God damned" (see: galmonging)
Hades hole: hell hole; used to describe the Red planet ^{(TOS: "War of the Gods, Part I")}
mong-raking: an expletive; after thwarting their attack on Galactica, Cain comments that "those mong-raking Cylons are in a state of shock right now" due to the appearance of Pegasus ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part II")}
plant vapors: a psychoactive drug familiar to the Colonials; Boomer comments that the Blonde Taurus woman on Carillon was probably "smoking plant vapors" ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
pogees: expletive, similar to "shit" ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part II")}
socialator: a sex worker, escort, prostitute ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}

General Jargon

Agro
agro: agriculture ^{(TOS: "The Magnificent Warriors")}
ambrosa: an expensive alcoholic intoxicant (see: ambrosa)
auto-control: auto-pilot; Brie is instructed by Starbuck to activate this after having problems on her first launch from Galactica ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
bio-pulse line: an unspecified body function, possibly an emotional state; Starbuck attempts to use this as an excuse to not join Apollo's mission to clear the Cylon minefield ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
boraton: a liquid that extinguishes fires ^{(TOS: "Fire in Space")}
breather: a breathing mask, or a life support system supplying air ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
bureautician: bureaucrat, politician ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
carbide: a likely term for carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
centura: possibly an expression related to percentages; "If we just let him lie in that life pod he doesn't have a chance in a centura" ^{(TOS: "Fire in Space")}.
Chief Opposer: a prosecuting attorney in a trial ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}
chronometers
chronometer: a time keeping device, essentially a watch ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
computape: a video recording; Sire Solon watched computapes of the triad match between Ortega and Starbuck ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}
crawlon: a spider ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
comline: a communication channel between ships
cubit
cubits: a form of coined currency (see: cubit)
daggit: a domesticated canine, e.g. dog (see: daggit)
death stone: tombstone ^{(TOS: "The Long Patrol")}
drone: a term for a robot, such as Muffit II ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
ducat: a ticket; Cassiopeia acquires two tickets to the Spheroid concert ^{(TOS: "Take the Celestra")}
ducket: a type of prepaid voucher used on the shuttle Canaris, typically collected at the end of the shuttle trip ^{(TOS: "The Man with Nine Lives")}
flight slumber: unintentionally sleeping while flying a craft, like a Viper; Apollo attempts to write off John and his second visit to the Ship of Lights as being a dream from a flight slumber ^{(TOS: "Experiment in Terra")}
fumarello: a small cigar that Starbuck typically smokes (see: fumarello)
furlon: a furlough, or short leave of absence for Warriors in the Colonial Military service ^{(TOS: "The Man with Nine Lives")}
geogram: a diagram; Ravashol shows Apollo a geogram of the pulsar with instructions on how to destroy it ^{(TOS: "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part II")}
glaiders: coined currency on Equellus ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}
grog: an intoxicating beverage, likely similar to beer (see: grog)
Homemade Buzzer: a version of "moonshine" on Equellus, see: Homemade Buzzer ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}
hovermobile: form of ground transportation that can be hot-wired ^{(TOS: "Fire in Space")}
ion field: a stellar phenomenon, which can cause scanner echoes ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I")}
ion vapors: likely term referring to the trail of a turbo engine ^{(TOS: "The Long Patrol")}
isoldin: a type of intravenous fluid given to patients, see: isoldin ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
leisuron: a vacation or leave of absence, similar to a furlon (TOS: deleted scene, "Saga of a Star World"); Note: An alternate spelling, "liesuron," appears in the comic book adaptation.
lextrium
lextrium III: a fuel used by the Eastern Alliance destroyer ^{(TOS: "Experiment in Terra")}
life pod: a life support bed used in Galactica's life center ^{(TOS: "Fire in Space")}
lupus: a wolf-like animal (see: lupus)
mega star: a star; in a deleted scene, Omega reports of the "mega star" they detect as they leave the magnetic void ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II")}
mega sun: a star; the Nomen come from the "land of the mega sun" ^{(TOS: "The Man with Nine Lives")}
med tech: a medical technician, such as a nurse or orderly (e.g. Cassiopeia)
meteor fire: meteor storm; Starbuck likens the readouts on his instrument panel "lighting up like a meteor fire" upon coming across the magnetic void ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
modocker: an unknown term, likely of endearment; Cain asks Apollo how Adama is by asking, "Well, how is he? How is that old modocker?" ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I")}
mushies: a food (see: mushies)
nightflyer: an owl-like creature on Equellus that hoots; Red-Eye asks Vella and Puppis about the "strange sound" heard by Lacerta in town, to which Puppis offers that he heard a "nightflyer hoot down by the woods" ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}. ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}
officiator: someone who oversees a triad game ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}
Orion hasher: something that is black and blue; Cassiopeia comments that Starbuck looks like one after his matches with Ortega ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}
oviner: a rancher ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}
pluton: a radioactive material whose radiation breaks down food (see: pluton poisoning) ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
pods: a Cylon outpost ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
primaries: basic food groups ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
Protector: a defense attorney in a tribunal ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}
protein: another type of food
protest: the equivalent of saying "objection" in a Colonial Tribunal ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}
pulse scrambled code: secure method of communication used by the Colonial Fleet ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}
pyramid: a card game, similar to poker (see: pyramid)
quadrant: region of space, see also Sector. Usually named after a Greek letter, or (less frequently) a star system or planet.
scorpius: scorpion; Maga comments that Borellian Nomen have the patience of such a creature, he also comments that the name "Borellian Nomen" strike fear at the hearts of those who hear it like the scorpius ^{(TOS: "The Man with Nine Lives")}
sector: region of space or planet, see also Quadrant. Usually named after a Greek letter (space sectors), or a geographic formation on the surface of a planet (geographic sector, e.g. Sector Hekla on the planet Arcta")
sleep period: bedtime
seal: marriage
sickbed: term for bed rest when one is recovering from an illness ^{(TOS: "The Young Lords")}
skybus: a type of starship ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
solium: a type of fuel (see: solium)
solonite: an explosive used in demolitions (see: solonite) ^{(TOS: "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part II")}
spacedrome: a planet-based space port (see: spacedrome) ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
star speed: a speed which is used by Eastern Alliance ^{(TOS: "Greetings From Earth")}
telecom: internal communications phone aboard Galactica ^{(TOS: "Fire in Space")}
tinhead: epithet used to describe Cylons ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I")}
tribunal: a Colonial court hearing (see: Law of the Twelve Colonies)
turbo: Warrior slang for their Viper's high-velocity booster engines, e.g. "hit your turbos"
turboflush: a toilet ^{(TOS: "Baltar's Escape")}
turboram thruster: a type of engine or thruster; in a deleted scene where Serina completes her first landing, Serina turns off this part of the Colonial shuttle as a part of her landing sequence ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
turboshower: a shower ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}
travelator: a travel agent ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
triad: a contact sport, similar to football or basketball (see: triad)
tylium: a highly combustible fuel (see: tylium) ^{(TOS: "Fire in Space")}
wardaggit: "war dog" ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I")}

Technology

gyro capacitors
transmit tek
zonar modules: component of a Viper's stabilizer system ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I")}^[1]
laser controller
otron extension
point diverters
proton activator: component of a Viper's weapon system ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I")}^[1]
proton energizer: a type of weapon on an Eastern Alliance destroyer ^{(TOS: "Experiment in Terra")}
scanner: interchangeable term for a computer monitor and television set (see: scanner)
tape coder: a voice recording device; Thane successfully passes off a hand mine as a device ^{(TOS: "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part II")}

Military Jargon

flash inspection: an inspection of military assets that is performed without prior notice by a superior officer ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}
four-point peel off: a maneuver performed with a group of four Vipers ^{(TOS: "War of the Gods, Part I")}
free flight jump: an infantry parachute landing, having jumped out of a shuttle ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part II")}
life station relief: sick call ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II")}
maximum G-climb: a maneuver done near a celestial body, which may cause the pilot to blackout; Starbuck orders C.O.R.A. to perform this maneuver, which causes the pursuing Raider to crash into the loading docks on Proteus ^{(TOS: "The Lost Warrior")}
stand alert: Colonial term for "attention" ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
stripped and moduled: a consequence of severe infractions in military law, likely similar to being stripped of one's rank and thrown in hack; Greenbean expresses a fear of this happening as Giles asks where he got the alcohol from ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}
Warrior: an all-purpose term for Colonial soldier and Viper pilot (see: Warrior)

Sayings

By your command: a typical Cylon response to an order (see: By your command) (TOS: "Saga of a Star World," et al.)

By your leave: a Colonial response to an order (see: By your leave) (TOS: "Saga of a Star World," et al.)

clear as the Nubian sun: a saying, similar to "as clear as day"; Cain uses this saying when referencing to the non-existent Raiders he allegedly pursued when he made his attack on the Cylon fuel tankers (see: Nubian sun) ^{(TOS: "The Living Legend, Part I")}

daggit drivel: a term used to describe someone's lies, similar to "garbage" or "bullshit"; Lucifer uses this term when asking if Baltar believes Specter's false reports ^{(TOS: "The Young Lords")}

For the glory of Caprica: saying used by the Colonials, particularly those from Caprica ^{(TOS: "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part II")}

Go rust yourself: Colonial equivalent to "go fuck yourself," typically used towards Cylons; Cadet Cree says this to Vulpa while the Cylons interrogate him ^{(TOS: "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I")}

laser in their side: analogue to "thorn in their side," Starbuck uses this term to describe how the actions of Megan's surviving children have kept their father alive at Cylon hands ^{(TOS: "The Young Lords")}

like a daggit on a sunspot: fidgety; Apollo points out that Starbuck acts this way during his pre-flight meeting on destroying the mines in the Straits of Madagon ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star World")}

Units of Measure

Time

yahren: unit of time akin to a "year" (see: Yahren)
quatron: unit of time akin to a "month"
secton: unit of time akin to a "week"
time cycle: unit of time akin to a "day"
centar: unit of time akin to an "hour"
millicenton: unit of time; approx. 10 minutes
centon: a unit of time akin to a "minute"; in earlier episodes (e.g. "Saga of a Star World," "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I"), centon is used as the Colonial equivalent of a week before being retconned in later episodes
microcenton
micron: unit of time akin to a "second"; Microcenton is likely another term for "micron"; Starbuck uses this term when he says "switching off of you for a microcenton to scan ahead" ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II")}

Distance

parsec: a unit of distance, the Earth measurement being equivalent to 90 million miles
hectar: a unit of distance, the Earth measurement being equivalent to 9 million miles (i.e. 1/10th of a parsec)
sectar
sectares: an unspecified measure of distance, interchangeably used as an unspecified measure of time (see: sectar (unit))
metric: a unit of distance, the Earth measurement being equivalent to a kilometer
maxim: a unit of distance, the Earth measurement being equivalent to 10 meters (see: maxim)
metron: unit of distance of smaller denomination than maxim, the Earth measurement being equivalent to meter; used in a deleted scene as Serina approaches the starboard landing bay ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II")}

Scientific measurements

ergon
ergons: unspecified unit of radiation (laser) energy, used to measure output of energizers and laser weapons ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}
megon: unit of weight, akin to a megaton
radion: unit of energy, akin to a rad
volton: unit of energy, akin to a volt
wavelon: unit of energy, akin to wavelength

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 As noted from Sheba's scanner readout in "The Living Legend, Part I". Refer to this image.

Part of the series on Battlestar Galactica Terminology
Original Series Separate Continuity and Unproduced Scripts Richard Hatch's Continuation Novels Steampunk Battlestar Galactica 1880 Galactica 1980 Re-imagined Series Separate Continuity (Books, Comics, Video Games, et al.)
v·d·e