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BUG Insect ▸ Software bug MOUSE Mouse (animal) ▸ Computer mouse TOKEN Token (coin) ▸ Token (language model)BIAS Bias (prejudice) ▸ Bias (machine learning)TRANSFORMER Electrical transformer ▸ Transformer (deep learning)AGENT Agent (person) ▸ AI agent GROUNDING Grounding (punishment or electrical) ▸ Grounding (AI)EPOCH Epoch (era) ▸ Epoch (machine learning)INFERENCE Inference (logic) ▸ Inference (AI)DAEMON Daemon (mythology) ▸ Daemon (computing)MEMORY Memory (mind) ▸ Computer memory CACHE Cache (hidden store) ▸ Cache (computing)VIRUS Virus (biology) ▸ Computer virus PATCH Patch (fabric) ▸ Patch (computing)PING Ping (sound or sonar) ▸ Ping (networking)BRANCH Branch (tree) ▸ Branch (version control)PUSH Push (physical) ▸ Push (version control)SOCKET Socket (outlet or anatomy) ▸ Network socket TERMINAL Terminal (transport) ▸ Computer terminal KEY Key (lock) ▸ Key (cryptography)SEED Seed (botany) ▸ Random seed CLIENT Client (customer) ▸ Client (computing)FARM Farm ▸ Server farm TROLL Troll (folklore) ▸ Internet troll PHISH Fishing ▸ Phishing CRAWL Crawl (movement) ▸ Web crawl NET Net (mesh) ▸ The Net (internet)FOOTPRINT Footprint ▸ Memory footprint LEAK Leak (fluid) ▸ Memory leak EXCEPTION Exception (special case) ▸ Exception (programming)TREE Tree ▸ Tree (data structure)FEED Feed (animal) ▸ News feed HANDLE Handle (grip) ▸ Handle (username)ZOMBIE Zombie (folklore) ▸ Zombie (computing)CANARY Canary (bird) ▸ Canary release CLASS Class (school or society) ▸ Class (programming)CORE Core (center) ▸ Core (CPU)DECAY Decay (rot) ▸ Weight decay DOCK Dock (maritime) ▸ Dock (macOS)DRAWER Drawer (furniture) ▸ Navigation drawer BUG Insect ▸ Software bug MOUSE Mouse (animal) ▸ Computer mouse TOKEN Token (coin) ▸ Token (language model)BIAS Bias (prejudice) ▸ Bias (machine learning)TRANSFORMER Electrical transformer ▸ Transformer (deep learning)AGENT Agent (person) ▸ AI agent GROUNDING Grounding (punishment or electrical) ▸ Grounding (AI)EPOCH Epoch (era) ▸ Epoch (machine learning)INFERENCE Inference (logic) ▸ Inference (AI)DAEMON Daemon (mythology) ▸ Daemon (computing)MEMORY Memory (mind) ▸ Computer memory CACHE Cache (hidden store) ▸ Cache (computing)VIRUS Virus (biology) ▸ Computer virus PATCH Patch (fabric) ▸ Patch (computing)PING Ping (sound or sonar) ▸ Ping (networking)BRANCH Branch (tree) ▸ Branch (version control)PUSH Push (physical) ▸ Push (version control)SOCKET Socket (outlet or anatomy) ▸ Network socket TERMINAL Terminal (transport) ▸ Computer terminal KEY Key (lock) ▸ Key (cryptography)SEED Seed (botany) ▸ Random seed CLIENT Client (customer) ▸ Client (computing)FARM Farm ▸ Server farm TROLL Troll (folklore) ▸ Internet troll PHISH Fishing ▸ Phishing CRAWL Crawl (movement) ▸ Web crawl NET Net (mesh) ▸ The Net (internet)FOOTPRINT Footprint ▸ Memory footprint LEAK Leak (fluid) ▸ Memory leak EXCEPTION Exception (special case) ▸ Exception (programming)TREE Tree ▸ Tree (data structure)FEED Feed (animal) ▸ News feed HANDLE Handle (grip) ▸ Handle (username)ZOMBIE Zombie (folklore) ▸ Zombie (computing)CANARY Canary (bird) ▸ Canary release CLASS Class (school or society) ▸ Class (programming)CORE Core (center) ▸ Core (CPU)DECAY Decay (rot) ▸ Weight decay DOCK Dock (maritime) ▸ Dock (macOS)DRAWER Drawer (furniture) ▸ Navigation drawer

Original · left

Non-player character

A character in a game not controlled by any player.

First in use: the 1970s

Duplicate · right

NPC (meme)

Slang for a person seen as lacking independent thought.

First in use: c. 2018

NPC / Non-player character / NPC (meme)

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Canonical todayMeasuring…

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Duplicate share · 12 mo—

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Colour keyGrey · original meaningGreen · duplicate meaningAmber · contested (40–60%)How colours work

Dungeons & Dragons extras vs. an internet insult.

Which meaning of NPC is the original, and which one is the duplicate riding on its name? Non-player character came first (the 1970s). NPC (meme) arrived in 2018. The data below shows which one owns the word now.

Wikipedia pageviews since 2015

Non-player characterNPC (meme)

English Wikipedia pageviews since July 2015 load here.

Duplicate's share of attention

Green line = duplicate's % · above 60 it owns the word · below 40 the original does

The case for each meaning

Sourced definitions, usage stats and quotes

Original · the 1970s

Non-player character

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Duplicate · c. 2018

NPC (meme)

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More duplicated terms

Internet & gaming culture

Mirror · Mirror (computing)Leech · Leech (computing)Lurk · Lurker (online)Troll · Internet troll Flame · Flaming (internet)Spam · Spam (electronic)Crawl · Web crawl Spider · Spider (web crawler)Web · World Wide Web Net · The Net (internet)Feed · News feed Handle · Handle (username)Ghost · Ghost (disk imaging and ghosting)Link · Hyperlink Post · POST (HTTP)Like · Like button Follow · Follow (social media)Share · Share button