Reference

Glossary

Working definitions for the terms our writers use. We link to entries here from articles that use them — so anyone landing on a piece without context has a place to start.

Cars

JDM#: Japanese Domestic Market. Cars built for sale in Japan, often with different specs than export versions. The 25-year US import rule has made the term shorthand for a particular collector subculture.
Naturally aspirated#: An engine that takes in air at atmospheric pressure — no turbocharger, no supercharger. In an era of forced induction defaults, "NA" has become a connoisseur’s preference.
OEM#: Original equipment manufacturer. The company that made the part as installed at the factory.
Tuner#: A shop or individual that modifies cars for performance. Also: a car modified for performance. Context distinguishes.

Culture

Long-form journalism#: Reported features, typically 2,500 words and up, that take time and reporting to produce. The AlphaMode house style.

Fitness

Mobility#: Active range of motion under control. Distinct from flexibility (passive range), and arguably more useful for lifters.
Progressive overload#: The principle that training adaptation requires gradually increasing demand — more weight, more reps, more frequency. The simplest reliable rule in strength training.
Zone 2#: Aerobic-base training intensity, roughly defined as the highest sustained pace at which you can hold a conversation. The bedrock of endurance training.

Money

Compound interest#: Interest earned on principal plus the interest already earned. Over decades, the curve goes from boring to staggering.
Emergency fund#: Cash reserve, typically 3–6 months of expenses, held in a high-yield savings account or money-market fund. Sized for losing your income, not for buying a TV.
Expense ratio#: The annual percentage of a fund’s assets paid by investors to cover operating costs. A 0.04% expense ratio on $10,000 means $4 per year goes to the fund manager.; For broad-market index funds, expense ratios under 0.10% are normal in 2026. Anything above 1% should be treated as a serious red flag.; See also: Index fund, SPIVA
Index fund#: A fund that holds the components of a market index in their index weighting — the S&P 500, the total US market, the world. The point is to capture the market’s return, not beat it.; The case for index funds rests on roughly fifty years of evidence that most active managers fail to beat the index after fees. See SPIVA.; See also: SPIVA, Expense ratio, Roth IRA
Roth IRA#: A US individual retirement account funded with after-tax dollars. Contributions grow and are withdrawn tax-free in retirement (subject to rules).; Income limits apply. If you earn too much, look into the backdoor Roth conversion — it is legal and widely used.
SPIVA#: S&P Indices Versus Active. The semi-annual S&P Dow Jones Indices report comparing the performance of actively managed mutual funds against their benchmark indices.; The headline finding, repeated for nearly two decades: the majority of active US-equity funds underperform the S&P 500 over 5- and 10-year horizons.; See also: Index fund

Sports

Front office#: The non-uniformed leadership of a team — general manager, president of basketball/football operations, scouts, analytics staff. Where most modern team-building decisions are actually made.
WAR (wins above replacement)#: Baseball composite metric estimating the difference in wins between a player and a freely available "replacement-level" player at the same position.
Win shares#: A basketball metric, originated by Bill James and refined by Justin Kubatko, that estimates the number of wins a player contributed to his team. A composite of offensive and defensive box-score stats.

Style

Bespoke#: A garment cut from a unique pattern made for one customer, with multiple fittings. The category above made-to-measure (MTM), and well above off-the-rack.
Drop cap#: A typographic device where the first letter of an article is enlarged to span multiple lines of body text. A long-form magazine signature.; Yes, this glossary is including a meta-term. We use a 3-line drop cap on every Feature on AlphaMode.
Oxford cloth#: A heavier basket-weave cotton fabric, soft and slightly textured, traditionally used for the OCBD (oxford cloth button-down) shirt.; Classic Brooks Brothers / Ivy League uniform staple. Survives any fashion cycle.
Patek Philippe Nautilus#: Steel sports watch designed by Gérald Genta, introduced by Patek in 1976. The 5711 reference is the modern grail — discontinued in 2021, with secondary-market prices that defy description.
Selvedge denim#: Denim woven on traditional shuttle looms, with self-finished edges (the "self-edge"). Generally heavier, with a tighter weave; ages distinctively.

Tech

EDC (everyday carry)#: The category of objects you have on your person every day. Knife, pen, wallet, watch, light, keys. As an internet community, EDC is roughly half utilitarian, half hobby.
Feature phone#: A phone that does calls, texts, and a small set of native apps but is not a full smartphone. Modern Nokia 2660 Flip is the canonical example.; Sometimes called a "dumbphone." HMD Global is the largest current manufacturer.; See also: Light Phone
Light Phone#: A purpose-built minimal phone made by Light, a Brooklyn startup. Designed to do as little as possible — calls, texts, alarms, navigation, notes.; See also: Feature phone

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