karma
KAR-muh
/ˈkɑːrmə/
A numerical score or cumulative reputation system reflecting a user's contributions and votes in an online community.
Measures overall participation quality, unlocked privileges, or peer respect within digital forums.
The story behind the word. Originating from the ancient Sanskrit word for 'action' or 'deed' in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, where actions determine destiny. Early web developers in the 1990s adopted 'karma' as a digital reputation metric, rewarding users whose posts generated positive community reactions with high status scores.
Word relationships
- reputation score: Reputation score is a generic formal term, whereas karma is the specific name used on platforms like Reddit.
- penalty points: Penalty points record negative infractions rather than community approval.
Commonly confused with
- badge: A badge is a specific accomplishment icon, whereas karma is an aggregate numerical score based on votes.
Collocations
- karma points
- accumulate karma
- karma score
- post karma
Example sentences
- "By posting helpful troubleshooting tips every week, she accumulated thousands of karma points on the tech board." Community reputation
Memory hook
Good posts bring good KARMA points to your account balance. Your digital reputation score.
When not to use
Do not confuse with formal financial credits, cryptocurrency, or actual spiritual destiny in sacred religious contexts when discussing online scores.
Fun facts
- Slashdot introduced a famous karma system in 1999 where users with high karma were granted automated moderation powers.
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