Alexa & Echo Smart Home Terminology Guide

When working with Alexa and Echo devices in a smart‑home setup, you’re likely to come across a range of specific terms. This glossary provides clear definitions of those key terms. Whether you’re setting up devices, building routines or pairing new gadgets, having a familiar reference will help you understand what each feature does.

Alexa
Amazon’s cloud based voice assistant. It interprets your spoken requests (“turn on kitchen light”), translates them into directives and routes them to compatible smart devices or Skills.

Capability
A declared set of functionality that an endpoint supports, such as:

• • Power Controller (On/Off)
  • Brightness Controller (0–100% dimming)
  • Color Controller (RGB or colour temperature)
  • Lock Controller (Lock/Unlock)
  • Thermostat Controller (temperature set-point)
  • Contact Sensor (Open/Closed)
  • Motion Sensor (MotionDetected)

Directive
A message Alexa sends to a smart home skill indicating what to do, like “Turn on living room light.”

Discovery
The process by which Alexa learns what smart home devices (endpoints) it can connect to. When you say “Alexa, discover devices”, Alexa issues a Discover directive and returns a list of new endpoints, if found.

Echo Device
The hardware endpoints (Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Plus, etc.) that you speak to. Some models (Echo Plus, Echo Studio) include a built-in Zigbee hub for local smart device pairing.

Endpoint
A single controllable smart home device or logical smart device grouping. Each endpoint has an ID, friendly name, description and a set of capabilities.

Event
Any trigger that initiates an action, such as motion detection or a door unlocking, often used in routines.

Group
A collection of endpoints in the Alexa app (e.g. “Downstairs Lights”) that can be controlled together, regardless of manufacturer, via voice or routine.

Hub
A bridge device that connects non-Wi-Fi devices into your Alexa network. Echo Plus and Echo Show 10 have built-in Zigbee hubs enabling Alexa to connect directly to Zigbee smart devices.

Invocation
The spoken “wake up” of a Skill. For Smart Home Skills invocation is implicit: you say “Alexa, turn on lamp.”

Matter
A connectivity standard for smart home devices. Alexa (on updated Echo devices) will interoperate with Matter-certified devices over Thread or Wi-Fi, reducing the need for multiple hubs.

Report State
A proactive event sent to Alexa when a device’s state changes outside of voice control (e.g. someone manually flips a switch). Keeps Alexa’s device status up to date.

Routine
A user-defined automation that bundles multiple actions (turn on light, announce on Echo Show, adjust thermostat) under one trigger (e.g. a voice phrase, schedule or sensor event).

Scene
A saved state of multiple smart home devices, for instance, “Movie Night” dims lights and closes blinds. Useful within routines.

Skill
An app that adds new capabilities to your Alexa-enabled devices. Think of it like an app for your phone, but designed for Alexa. Skills allow you to extend Alexa’s functionality beyond its built-in features.

Zigbee
A low-power, wireless network standard for smart lighting and sensors. Echo Plus’s hub lets you pair Zigbee bulbs and plugs directly, no extra Zigbee bridge required.