Hyperaccumulators are plants that accumulate metal and metalloid trace elements to extremely high concentrations in their biomass. These plants have been studied extensively, with confirmed hyperaccumulation of elements such as nickel, zinc, cadmium, manganese, arsenic, and selenium. However, hyperaccumulation of lead, copper, cobalt, chromium, and thallium remains unconfirmed. The term 'hyperaccumulator' has been used millions of times since the mid-1970s, but its usage varies in precision and understanding. The authors aim to clarify the conditions under which the term is appropriate and define the criteria for hyperaccumulation. They emphasize the importance of using above-ground tissues, particularly leaves, for determining hyperaccumulator status, as these are more indicative of active accumulation. Passive accumulation via air-borne deposition is not considered. The threshold for hyperaccumulation is set at 1,000 µg/g in dry leaf tissue for nickel. For other elements, different thresholds have been proposed. For example, 10,000 µg/g is suggested for manganese, and >100 µg/g for cadmium. The term 'hyperaccumulator' is also applied to other elements, but the criteria vary. The authors argue that the concept of hyperaccumulation should be clearly defined to ensure accurate communication. They also note that hyperaccumulation is a distinct phenomenon from the accumulation of major soil elements. The term 'hyperaccumulator' was first coined by Reeves to describe the extraordinary accumulation of nickel in the tree Sebertia acuminata. The definition has since been refined to include specific criteria for determining hyperaccumulation status. The authors conclude that the international scientific community must adopt standard terminology and methods to confirm the reliability of analytical data related to hyperaccumulators.Hyperaccumulators are plants that accumulate metal and metalloid trace elements to extremely high concentrations in their biomass. These plants have been studied extensively, with confirmed hyperaccumulation of elements such as nickel, zinc, cadmium, manganese, arsenic, and selenium. However, hyperaccumulation of lead, copper, cobalt, chromium, and thallium remains unconfirmed. The term 'hyperaccumulator' has been used millions of times since the mid-1970s, but its usage varies in precision and understanding. The authors aim to clarify the conditions under which the term is appropriate and define the criteria for hyperaccumulation. They emphasize the importance of using above-ground tissues, particularly leaves, for determining hyperaccumulator status, as these are more indicative of active accumulation. Passive accumulation via air-borne deposition is not considered. The threshold for hyperaccumulation is set at 1,000 µg/g in dry leaf tissue for nickel. For other elements, different thresholds have been proposed. For example, 10,000 µg/g is suggested for manganese, and >100 µg/g for cadmium. The term 'hyperaccumulator' is also applied to other elements, but the criteria vary. The authors argue that the concept of hyperaccumulation should be clearly defined to ensure accurate communication. They also note that hyperaccumulation is a distinct phenomenon from the accumulation of major soil elements. The term 'hyperaccumulator' was first coined by Reeves to describe the extraordinary accumulation of nickel in the tree Sebertia acuminata. The definition has since been refined to include specific criteria for determining hyperaccumulation status. The authors conclude that the international scientific community must adopt standard terminology and methods to confirm the reliability of analytical data related to hyperaccumulators.