Glossary
Typing Glossary
Definitions for every term you'll encounter in typing tests, speed benchmarks, and technique guides.
WPM
WPM — Words Per Minute
The standard unit for measuring typing speed.
CPM
CPM — Characters Per Minute
The character-level measure of typing speed.
Touch Typing
Touch Typing
Typing using all ten fingers without looking at the keyboard.
Accuracy
Typing Accuracy
What accuracy means in typing tests and why it matters.
Gross vs Net WPM
Gross WPM vs Net WPM
What's the difference, and which one matters?
Home Row
Home Row
The central resting position for touch typing: ASDF JKL;
Muscle Memory
Muscle Memory in Typing
How motor patterns become automatic and enable high typing speeds.
QWERTY
QWERTY Layout
The dominant keyboard layout used worldwide.
Dvorak / Colemak
Dvorak and Colemak Layouts
Alternative keyboard layouts designed for efficiency.
Keystroke
Keystroke
A single key press — the atomic unit of typing.
Net WPM
Net WPM
Your WPM score after the error penalty — the number that matters.
Mechanical Keyboard
Mechanical Keyboard
Keyboards with individual physical switches under each key.
Typing Speed
Typing Speed
How typing speed is defined, measured, and improved.