The cold email glossary you'll actually bookmark.
Cold email has its own language. SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX, CNAME, catch-all, warmup pool, seed test, bounce rate, complaint rate. Here's what all of it means.
Why this glossary exists
Cold email sits at the intersection of sales, marketing, and email infrastructure engineering. The jargon is dense and most guides assume you already know it. This glossary defines every term you'll encounter when running B2B cold email campaigns -- from DNS authentication to deliverability metrics to campaign optimization concepts. Bookmark it. You'll come back.
What's covered
- DNS & authentication: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX, CNAME, BIMI
- Deliverability: inbox placement, spam score, sender reputation, blocklists
- Infrastructure: sending domains, mailboxes, warmup, IP rotation
- Campaign terms: sequences, cadence, A/B testing, personalization tokens
- Metrics: open rate, reply rate, bounce rate, complaint rate, conversion rate
- Data terms: catch-all, role-based, verification, enrichment, waterfall
- Compliance: CAN-SPAM, CASL, GDPR, opt-out, suppression list
- Tools & platforms: ESP, SEP, sending platform, CRM integration
Where to go from here
This glossary is a reference, not a how-to. If you want to learn how to actually run cold email campaigns, check out our Outbound Playbook for the full strategy, our Deliverability Guide for infrastructure setup, or our Domain Warmup Guide for getting new domains ready to send. Or skip the learning curve and let us run it for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is this glossary kept up to date?
Yes. Cold email evolves constantly as inbox providers change their algorithms. We update definitions and add new terms as the landscape shifts.
I don't see a term I'm looking for. Can I request it?
Absolutely. Email hello@borks.io with the term and we'll add it with a full explanation.
Do I need to know all of this to run cold email?
If you're running it yourself, understanding DNS authentication, deliverability metrics, and campaign terminology is essential. If you hire a managed service like Borks, we handle the technical side -- but knowing the terms helps you evaluate whether your partner is doing it right.
Skip the glossary. Get the meetings.
Book a call and let us handle the technical side while you focus on closing deals.