Pwn (/poʊn/, /puːn/, /pəʔˈoʊn/, /pɔːn/, /piˈoʊn/, /pwəʔˈn̩/) is a
leetspeak slang term, derived from the word "own",
[1][2][3] that implies domination or humiliation of a rival, used primarily in the
Internet gaming culture to taunt an opponent who has just been soundly defeated. Past tense is sometimes spelled
pwnt (pronounced with a
t sound),
pwned,
pwnd,
pwn3d, or
powned (with the standard
d sound). Examples include "pwnage" or "You just got pwned!" More obscure phrases include "
über-pwnage", "pwningful" or "pwnalated"
In
hacker jargon, to "pwn" means "to compromise" or "to control," specifically another computer (
server or
PC), web site, gateway device, or application. It is synonymous with one of the definitions of
hacking or cracking. An outside party who has "owned" or "pwned" a system has obtained unauthorized administrative control of the system.
