The Geocaching Glossary

Forum term

(märk’-wehl), verb. To cite a thread (or threads) where a topic was already discussed thus putting an end to the need to discuss it again.
Also: Markwelled, Markwelling, Markweller
Example: “I started a thread about Geocaching nude but it got Markwelled!”

A term coined by a well-meaning geocacher.

Technical Term

A small waterproof container designed to hold matches. They also make great micro-cache containers. 

Slang Term

A cheap toy left in a geocache. Usually it's a toy that came from a fastfood children's meal (hence the name).  The worst ones are usually used and broken.

Geocaching Term/Geocache Type

A geocaching event numbering 500 or more participants. The most well-known annual mega-events are GeoWoodstock and the Midwest GeoBash.

Geocaching Term/Abbreviation

Also called "MOC." This is a feature available to Premium Members of Geocaching.com. Only other Premium Members can see MOC cache pages. They are identified with this icon:

The purpose of MOC was to prevent cache piracy. Owners of MOC caches have the ability to view an "audit page" which shows the names of all the users who have viewed the cache page, how many times they have viewed it and the last time they viewed it.

Geocache Size Designation

A micro cache is generally any cache that's too small for anything but a logbook (though some very small trade items might fit in them). The standard micro cache is usually a 35mm film canister, match safe or something smaller.

See also "nano cache." 

Geocaching Term/Abbreviation

"Members Only Cache." This is a feature available to Premium Members of Geocaching.com. Only other Premium Members can see MOC cache pages. They are identified with this icon:

The purpose of MOC was to prevent cache piracy. Owners of MOC caches have the ability to view an "audit page" which shows the names of all the users who have viewed the cache page, how many times they have viewed it and the last time they viewed it.

Forum Term

A Groundspeak volunteer or employee who has the enviable* job of guiding the forums and maintaining the peace. Moderators can move threads to different forums, edit postings, suspend posting priviledges and perform a variety of other tasks using their "mod superpowers."

Moderators are guided by the Forum Guidelines which are linked at the top of every forum page.

Moderators are sometimes also Reviewers, but not always.

*I was being sarcastic about that "enviable" part.

Geocaching Term

Also called a Traveling Cache. A cache that--once found--would be re-hidden by the finder in another location. Moving caches are no longer allowed on Geocaching.com, though some old grandfathered ones still exist.

Geocaching Term/Slang

Also, "GeoMuggle."

Derived from “non-magic folk” in the Harry Potter series, a muggle is a non-cacher.

See also, “muggled.”

Geocaching Term/Slang

Derived from GeoMuggle (or simply Muggle), it's slang for a cache that has been stolen/removed by a non-cacher. 

i.e. " I searched for this cache but couldn't find it. I'm afraid it's been muggled." 

Geocaching Term/Geocache Type

A geocache that requires visits to two or more sets of coordinates. Beginning and intermediate coordinates might be either physical caches or simply points where information is gathered (i.e. Count the number of bricks on the side of a wall, use these for the value of x). The final is always a physical cache with a logbook/logsheet.

Geocaching Term/Geocache Type

Called “Mystery,” “Puzzle” or simply “Unknown.” This is a catch-all cache category that normally requires a puzzle to be solved in order to find the final coordinates. The cache is usually NOT at the posted coordinates unless it is an ALR (Additional Logging Requirement) cache or unless getting into the cache is in itself the puzzle.

Mystery cache coordinates are normally 2 miles or less away from the posted coordinates.