In Internet parlance, to be pwn3d! is to be dominated or humiliated, especially by a rival or a hacker. Creative variations of the word, such as "pwnage," are also acceptable and denote the same.
Background
According to the Urban Dictionary online, the use of the term pwned comes from a typographical error when a programmer was coding for the Warcraft game. The term was on a map supposedly to show who "owned" the area, but became pwned. Thus, if someone is pwned, they are 'owned' in one way or another by the person or object.Urban Dictionary: Pwned
Featured Video
Pwnage Compilations
Metacafe: Pwnage Compilation (Time: 2:50)
Accidental Pwnage
- YouTube: Kid Owned by a Breakdancer (Time: 0:17)
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Used primarily in online gaming culture
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Fact:
Believed to derive from a misspelling of the word "owned"
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Fact:
Usage includes pwnt, pwned, pwnd, pwn3d or powned
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Fact:
Has spawned Internet show, Pure Pwnage
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Fact:
Term has pervaded popular culture, appearing in shows such as Hannah Montana and South Park
