Euchre has its own vocabulary, and a lot of it doesn’t show up in any other card game. This glossary covers every term you’re likely to hear at the table, from the basics to the house-rule variations. New to the game entirely? Start with our How to Play Euchre guide first.
Core Terms
Assist
When the dealer’s partner wants the turned-up card’s suit to be trump, they say “I’m assisting” instead of “order it up,” since the dealer is the one who will actually pick up the card.
Bower
Either of the two Jacks that become the top two cards once trump is set. See Right Bower and Left Bower below, or read our full Card Ranking guide for examples.
Deal
Distributing the 24-card deck: 5 cards to each of the 4 players, and 4 cards left as the kitty. The deal passes to the left after every hand. Full walkthrough in our How to Deal Euchre guide.
Euchred
What happens when the team that called trump fails to win at least 3 of the 5 tricks. The defending team scores 2 points as a penalty. Full scoring breakdown in our Euchre Scoring Rules guide.
Follow Suit
The requirement to play a card of the same suit that was led, if you have one in your hand. Remember: the Left Bower counts as trump, not its printed suit, when following suit.
Going Alone (Loner)
When the player who called trump chooses to play the hand without their partner, who sits out entirely. A successful loner (winning all 5 tricks solo) scores 4 points instead of the usual 2. See our full Going Alone guide.
Kitty
The 4 cards left over after the deal, placed face-down in the center with the top card turned face-up to start bidding.
Lead
Playing the first card of a trick. The winner of each trick leads the next one.
Left Bower
The Jack of the suit that shares trump’s color (e.g., if Hearts is trump, the Jack of Diamonds is the Left Bower). It’s the second-highest card in the hand, ranking just below the Right Bower.
March
When the team that called trump wins all 5 tricks in a hand, scoring 2 points instead of the usual 1.
Order It Up
Choosing to accept the turned-up card’s suit as trump during the first round of bidding. The dealer then picks up that card and discards one card from their hand.
Right Bower
The Jack of the trump suit itself — always the single highest card in the hand, no matter what.
Trick
One round of play where each of the 4 players contributes a single card. The highest card (following suit rules, with trump beating everything) wins the trick.
Trump
The suit chosen to outrank all others for that hand. Any card of the trump suit beats any card of a different suit, regardless of rank.
Turn-Up Card
The top card of the kitty, turned face-up after the deal. Its suit is the proposed trump for the first round of bidding.
House-Rule & Variant Terms
Cutthroat Euchre
A common name for 3-Handed Euchre, where each player competes individually rather than in fixed partnerships. See our 3-Handed Euchre Rules guide.
Next
In the second round of bidding, calling the suit of the same color as the one just turned down (e.g., calling Diamonds after Hearts was turned down). A common strategic move, not an official rule term, but you’ll hear it often.
Screw the Dealer
A house rule stating that if both bidding rounds pass with no one calling trump, the dealer is forced to name a suit rather than the hand being redealt. Common in casual play.
Stick the Dealer
The opposite house rule: if bidding passes twice, the hand is redealt rather than forcing the dealer’s hand. See our Stick the Dealer Variant guide for the full rule and how it changes strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a “loner” in Euchre?
Another word for going alone — a player who calls trump and chooses to play the hand without their partner’s help, aiming to win all 5 tricks for a bonus point.
What does “stick the dealer” mean?
It’s a house rule where, if all players pass in both rounds of bidding, the hand is redealt instead of forcing the dealer to name trump. It’s the opposite of “screw the dealer.”
Is “bower” pronounced like “flower”?
Yes — it rhymes with “flower” and “power,” not “bow” as in a ribbon.
Want to see these terms in action? Head back to our How to Play Euchre guide for the full rules.