Hodls

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To retain ownership of cryptocurrency assets for an extended period rather than trading or selling them
2. To keep cryptocurrencies in one's possession with the intention of benefiting from long-term price appreciation
3. To maintain a position in digital coins or tokens over time despite market fluctuations, betting on future gains

Etymology: "Hodl" began as a typo. In an online forum post about Bitcoin, a user named GameKyuubi wrote "I AM HODLING" instead of "holding," and the misspelling caught on among investors who refused to sell during price crashes. It became a deliberate joke about the mistake rather than a correction of it. Many people believe it stands for "Hold On for Dear Life," but that expansion is a later folk etymology. The verb came first and the acronym was invented afterward. "Hodls" is the third-person singular form, describing someone who keeps holding an asset such as a cryptocurrency rather than selling it.