CALS (noun).
/kQls/
Definition: The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Attested: I first encountered this word when filling out forms for Cornell, and the name of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences was abbreviated.
Example: "I am a student in CALS."
Etymology: This word came about by using an acronym. CALS stands for The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I think this term was devised because of the fact that it is more practical to just say CALS rather that College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Since this term pertains to this University, I doubt that it is used outside Cornell, unless CALS is an acronym for some other term somewhere else in the world.
- Jessica Robertson

Campus Dining (noun)
/kQ@mp¥s daynIN/
Definition: This refers to Cornell's dining hall program that is in implementation throughout the campus.
Example: "It is during thanksgiving break when I stayed over in Cornell that I realized how miserable life without Campus Dining can be."
Etymology: Campus Dining is a straightforward term to describe the nature of the dining program. Cornell is reputed to have one of the best dining programs in all ivy leagues. With multiple meal-plans to choose from like 5-3, 7-2, flexi-90, and any-10, students in Cornell are indeed fortunate to have such a well-established dining plan to take care of our nutritional requirements.
- Chee Yong Lee

Campus Store (noun)
/kQ@mp¥s stor/
Definition: This is the series of stores that sell the textbooks, stationaries and Cornell merchandise in Cornell University. It is situated just next to Willard Straight Hall.
Attested: The campus store is one place that every Cornellian must have visited. Of course, most of us will have spent a huge portion of our fortune in that store by the end of our education here.
Example: You can get your 10 Mbits Ethernet card from the Campus store if you want, but I suggest that you mail order it from the Internet instead. It will be cheaper that way.
Etymology: A division of the Cornell Business Service, this store has been around in Cornell for such a long time that it has gradually evolved to be a one-stop shopping center for most of us here. It is opened Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm.
- Chee Yong Lee

Cash out (verb)
/kQSa@wt/
Definition: To use you Cornell meal plan to shop at one of the Cash-op dining facilities for food to take back to you room. Having already used your meal plan at one of the Cash-op facilities.
Attested: I first encountered the term when asking a fellow student if he wanted to go to lunch and getting the response "I already cashed out."
Example: "I can't go to lunch, I already cashed out."
Etymology: The need for a term to indicate that a person has already used their meal plan at a cash-op dining facility turned in to the term "cash out."
- Michael Merrell

Cash-op (noun)
/kQSA@p/
Definition: One of the Cornell dining facilities where the students are given a certain number of dollars with their meal plan instead of all you can eat. Any one of the dining facilities that are ran on the dollar system
Attested: When being told about Cornell I heard one of the alumni state that Cornell has both cash-op and co-op dining.
Example: "Wanna go co-op or cash-op?"
Etymology: The administration of Cornell came up with this term to distinguish between the two different styles of dining on campus. Because some of these establishments run on the dollar system, they are called cash-op.
- Michael Merrell

Chemies (Noun)
`kem-ees; rhymes with shimmies; /kE@miz/
Definition: A nickname for Chemical Engineers
Attested: I first heard this appellation from my father who was a chemical engineer at Cornell.
Example: "The Chemies hunched over their lab desks watching the chemicals react in the flasks."
Etymology: In my experience this phrase is a popular name for the Chemical Engineering students at Cornell. The phrase appears to be a contraction of the phrase "Chemical Engineer". This phrase seems to be widely accepted and used in the engineering community. This phrase was most likely picked up as a less cumbersome alternative to the longer "Chemical Engineer".
- Ed Cabic

CIT (noun)
/sIt/
Definition: the agency that oversees and polices dormitory internet use.
Attested: I heard this word within the first week or two of school from my CS major friend down the hall, as in the following example.
Example: "You might want to watch your bandwidth. Anything over a sustained 120 kps is going to red-flag CIT."
Etymology: This word was formed from the acronym that Cornell Information Technologies is known by on campus. When it's used, it usually refers to CIT as a police force. Of course, this may just stem from the attitudes and actions of those that use the word that I hear...
- Jake Schlachter

Commons
com-mens; rhymes with "almonds"; /kA@mInz/
I. Definition: [Other] dictionary definition of common: not unusual; ordinary; belonging to the public. Ithaca definition of Commons: Downtown marketplace with specialty stores, shops, boutiques and cafªs.
Attested: I first encountered this word on the 30th of June, 1997, during COSEP, when I visited Ithaca Downtown.
Example: I would like to pick up some nickers at the Commons, specifically from Retro or Zulu's.
Etymology: The Commons reflects Ithaca's community, cultural richness, and ethnic diversity. At the Commons, cafÅs and coffee houses provide a wide variety of tasty brew, while restaurants are best known for their seasonal outdoor dining. The Commons welcomes local artists who sell handcrafted art. The People's Pottery provides a selection of fine handmade pottery gifts. Benchwarmer is a sports bar and restaurant for Cornellian and Ithaca students and residents. At the T-shirt express, located on the Commons, one can get preprinted or customized items.
- Andrea Sakyi
II. Definition: The name given to downtown Ithaca.
Attested: I made my way off campus during my second week here in order to buy basic items which one cannot find within Cornell University. Traveling by taxi I noticed a sign labeled The Commons and learned that this was the name given to downtown Ithaca.
Example: "Were going to The Commons today to buy some things."
Etymology: This is not the first time that I have encountered this term. My high school had an area designated for just hanging out and it was called The Commons. This term is most widely known by both Cornell students and immediate residents of the Ithaca area. Its derivation perhaps comes from the idea that this is a common place where people gather. This rationalization could also be used in explaining its use in my high school.
- Brian Montenegro

Co-op (noun)
Pronounced as "ko-op"; /ko@wAp/
I. Definition: The word is short for cooperative education.
Attested: I got one of the co-op flyers at the Career Fair.
Example: "Nic is off doing co-op. That's why we never see him anymore."
Etymology: The co-op program is a popular option that is available to students that are interested in spending eight months of their college career actively involved in an internship-like activity.
- Mandy Ma
II. Definition: A type of college resident located in a house. Each resident is responsible for chores and cooking meals. It is somewhat of a "family atmosphere."
Attested: I first encounctered this word when I was reading about Cornell housing options.
Definition: "Some people like like living at a co-op because they miss the homey environment lacking in the dorms."
Etymology: I am unsure if this word exists at other schools. It probaby does as this living situation is not unique to Cornell. The word itself is probably derived from the word cooperation.
- Krista Bendig
III. Definition: Any one of the Cornell dining establishments that is all you can eat and run on the buffet system.
Attested: When being told about Cornell I heard one of the alumni state that Cornell has both cash-op and co-op dining.
Definition: "Wanna go co-op or cash-op?"
Etymology: The administration of Cornell came up with this term to distinguish between the two different styles of dining on campus. Because some of these establishments run on the buffet system, they are called co-op.
- Michael Merrell

Cornellian (noun)
kor nel'yen / kornilyIn; /kÁrnE@ly¥n/
Definition: A student having attended Cornell University.
Attested: I think I first heard this term during orientation week when I learned a lot of things about Cornell.
Example: "There are many Cornellians that come from around the world."
Etymology: I think this term arose from the name of the University, Cornell, and the suffix -ian to denote a person of Cornell, just as the same suffix is on people from different geographic locations, like Canadians. This word was most likely made from the need to create a name for people attending Cornell. Although this term was certainly coined in Ithaca, I think it's use spreads across the country, because anyone hearing the term Cornellian will most likely discern it's meaning.
- Jessica Robertson

Cornell Card (noun)
kor nel' kard; /kÁrnElkArd/
Definition: A credit card for Cornell students.
Attested: I first heard this term when I was filling out forms in order to attend Cornell.
Example: "I stopped by Bear Necessities and picked up some snacks with my Cornell Card."
Etymology: I think this term was derived from credit card, since the Cornell card is similar to using a credit card. This term made an easy was of saying Cornell Credit Card. This phrase must be unique to this university and Ithaca, because no where else would you find a store accepting Cornell credit.
- Jessica Robertson

Cornhell (noun)
/kÁrnhE@l/
Definition: An Unpleasant place where exams and papers due happen on the same day and people are always sick and never sleep (that's probably why they are sick.)
Attested: I first encountered this word last year during final exam study week. A sign in our unit's lounge said "Welcome to Cornhell,"
Example: "I have a bio prelim tommorow and and fifteen page research paper due that I haven't started ecause I had three other exams, two papers and minor surgery to remove my frostbitten toe from treking back and forth to class without socks because I don't have any clean ones because I haven't had time to do my laundry in three months and you're the first person I've talked to all week. I'm in cornhell." (Note: usually occurs after long run on sentence)
Etymology: This term probably originated due to Cornell's somewhat hellish conditions and the convienant rhyming of the word hell with the last phoneme.
- Krista Bendig

Crush Party (noun)
/kra@SpArRi/
Definition: A Party hosted by fraternities that is by invitation only and requires semi-formal attire. Basically each guy gets to invite five girls so as increase the girl to guy ratio and therefore increase a Frat guy's odds of getting a girl.
Attested: I first heard this word as a prefrosh when my host was "crushed" to a party.
Example: "I like crush parties because they are an excuse to buy another dress."
Etymology: This term probably is derived from the word crush. Guys invite girls to the party they are interested in or have a crush on. I am not sure if this term exists on other campus, but the event probably does.
- Krista Bendig

C-town (noun)
Pronounced as it appears; /s"@tQwn/
Definition: C-town is short for collegetown
Attested: I dont exactly know where this came from. I just started saying it one day because I thought it sounded cool er
Example: "Wanna bus down to C-town and grab a mochacinno from Jazmines?"
Etymology: C-town is a place where you can go at 3 in the morning to get pizza. It's where the upperclassmen hang out because all their apartments are situated.
- Mandy Ma

Crushed, to be (verb).
krusch-d; rhymes with "brushed"; /kr¥@St/
Definition: to be invited to a fraternity or sorority party by one of its members.
Attested: I first encountered this term three weeks ago when I recieved an invitation saying I've been "crushed."
Example: "Sara was excited to be crushed by someone in Lamba Lamda Lamda because she liked one of the boys in that fraternity."
Etymology: To my knowledge, this term is unique to Cornell University. The word probably resulted from the word crush which is used to describe one individuals liking of another. Hence a crush party could have come to mean a party in which guys invite girls which they like. Therefore, to be crushed means to be asked to an event by someone who seeks interest in another.
- Lynne Nissen