• AIO – All-in-One (often used to describe when a mod author has merged multiple iterations/versions of their mod(s) into one, and often can include compatibility patches as well)
• BSA – Bethesda Softworks Archive (you will see this compressed file type in many mods; it can include sounds, textures, models, etc. For more information, specifically about loose vs packed, read this post by the wonderful u/Thallassa)
• CK – Creation Kit (this tool is used to both edit and create mods)
• CTD - Crash to Desktop
• DB and DG – Dragonborn and Dawnguard DLC
• DoF – Depth of Field
• DLC – Downloadable Content
• DLL – Dynamic Link Library
• DynDOLOD – Dynamic Distant Objects Level of Detail
• ENB – is a program that uses post processing effects to create enhanced visuals in the game. (Read this article for more information)
• ESL – Elder Scrolls Light Master
• ESM – Elder Scrolls Master
• ESP – Elder Scrolls Plugin
• ESPFE – Elder Scrolls Plugin Flagged as a Light Master
• FNIS – Fores New Idles in Skyrim (LE|SE)
• FOMOD – Fallout Mod Installer (also used by Skyrim mods); essentially this is an installer built into the file archive that can add choice options, additional related plugins, images, etc to assist in the installation process.
• FPS - Frames Per Second
• FXAA – Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing
• HUD – Heads Up Display is how information about your character is conveyed visually without going to a different screen. This can include the compass, health/status/magicka bars, notifications/thoughts, custom widgets, etc.
• ILS - Infinite Loading Screen
• INI – a file extension for configuration information (text file readable by notepad/wordpad)
• ITM – Identical to Master (records added by a mod that are an exact copy of records from the Vanilla game; sometimes these are unintentional and need to be cleaned, and sometimes they are intentional and should NOT be cleaned)
• LO and LOOT – Load Order and Load Order Optimization Tool
• LOD – Level of Detail
• MCM – Mod Configuration Menu (when using SkyUI (LE|SE), if a mod comes with an MCM, it means that you can customize certain aspects in game.)
• MO and MO2 – Mod Organizer and Mod Organizer 2
• Navmesh - Navigation Mesh (for our purposes, basically this tells the NPCs where they can move around; for more information, read this article)
• NIF – NetImmerse File (file for storing 3D Models)
• NMM – Nexus Mod Manager (No longer supported – now Vortex)
• NPC – Non-Playable Character
• Plugin – A plugin is a file used to either change data in the game or add data to the game. For more information, read this article on the Nexus.
• SKSE – Skyrim Script Extender (trust me; this should be the first mod you download if you are just getting started. SOOO many other mods rely on this)
• SSAO – Screen Space Ambient Occlusion
• SSE and LE – Skyrim Special Edition and Legendary Edition
• TAA – Temporal Anti-Aliasing
• UDR - Undeleted and Disabled References (Deleted References=Bad; Undeleted and Disabled References=Good; However: When you run LOOT it will show a total number of UDRs which actually means how many still need to be fixed)
• UPF - Unified Patching Framework (zEdit uses this for patching - read this post for more information)
• USSEP and USLEEP – Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch and Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch
• VFS – Virtual File System (this is what Mod Organizer 2 uses. Instead of manually installing mods to the Skyrim game data folder, it creates a virtual file system that it sort of plugs into (get it?) the game when you start it up from within MO2.)
• Vortex – Mod Manager from Nexus (not to be confused with Nexus Mod Manager)

Warning: I haven’t really gotten into this type of modding, so this is just based off my very amateur research. Please correct me if you see anything that is incorrect!

BBP - Breast and Body Physics

BHUNP - UNP body updated by Bakafactory and Haeun (usernames)

CBBE – Caliente’s Beautiful Body Enhancement

CBBE 3BA (3BBB) - CBBE with 3 Breast Bone Body Physics

CBPC - CB Physics with Collision

COCO (3BBB) - alternative CBBE and UNP bodies with physics

HDT-PE - HydrogensaysHDT (username) Physics Extension

HDT-SMP - HDT Skinned Mesh Physics

HIMBO - Highly Improved Male Body Overhaul

SAM - Shape Atlas for Men

TBD – Touched by Dibella

UNP – Unpretend(ed)

UNPB – UNP Blessed

TBBP - Tender Breast and Body Physics

XP32 or XPMSE - Maximum Skeleton Extended (for Legendary Edition)

XPMSSE - Maximum Skeleton SpecialExtended (for Special Edition)

3BBB - 3 Breast and Butt Bones

7B - Sevenbase

Check out the Body Type Mod Category page for more information (not much more, but I will hopefully add more at some point - needs to be updated as of June 2022)

Helpful links:

Bakafactory’s Skyrim - WHAT IS HDT-PE / HDT-SMP / BBP / TBBP / 3BBB?

HIMBO Articles - while these are specific to HIMBO, they can definitely be helpful if trying to figure out how to use Bodyslide/Outfit Studio

I don’t know much about all of this, as I am still learning myself, but this video playlist helped me a lot in trying to determine exactly what various settings in ENBs and other INI files where actually doing: Skyrim ENB Effect Demonstrations - tapioks. It shows comparison clips of various effects turned on and off. Also, the music is super relaxing.

Ambient Occlusion - an effect that calculates how exposed each point in a scene is to ambient light, i.e. not from a direct source; essentially adds shadows where they might not otherwise have been (helpful video by Greg Salazar)

Anistropic Filtering - an effect that improves how small details appear; this eliminates Anti-Aliasing effects, but reduces blur and preserves detail even at extreme angles

Anti-Aliasing - an effect that smoothes jagged edges, essentially by strategic blurring (helpful video by Greg Salazar)

Depth of Field - an effect that simulates the ability to focus on one thing at a time

Updated June 2022

• 3DNPC or INPCs – Interesting NPCs (LE|SE)
• AA – Animated Armoury (LE|SE)
• ACE – Armor and Clothing Extension (SE)
• AFT – Amazing Follower Tweaks (LE|SE)
• AGO – Archery Gameplay Overhaul (LE|SE)
• AIO – AI Overhaul (LE|SE)
• AllGUD – All Geared Up Derivative (LE|SE)
• AMM – Atlas Map Markers (LE|SE)
• AMOT – A Matter of Time (LE|SE)
• AOS – Audio Overhaul for Skyrim (LE|SE)
• AOT – Armoury of Tamriel (LE|SE)
• ASIS – Automatic Spells Increased Spawns (LE|SE)
• ASLAL/LAL – Live Another Life (LE|SE)
• AVA – (SkyRem) Attribute Value Application (SE)
• AYOP – At Your Own Pace (LE|SE)
• BBB – The Blushing Breton (LE|SE)
• BCS – Book Covers of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• BDS – Better Dynamic Snow (LE|SE)
• BOP – SOS – Beards of Power – Sons of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• BOS – Books of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• BOYD – Bring Out Your Dead (LE|SE)
• BPT – Blue Palace Terrace (LE|SE)
• BS – Beyond Skyrim (LE|SE)
• BSaQB – Better Skill and Quest Book Names (LE|SE)
• BURP & BURPST –  Book Unity and Revamp Project and BURP Spell Tomes (SE|SE)
• BUVARP – Barely Used Vanilla Actors Recycle Project (LE|SE)
• CACO – Complete Alchemy and Cooking Overhaul (LE|SE)
• CATA – Conditional Armor Type Animations (SE)
• CC – Convenient Carriages (SE)
• CCOR – Complete Crafting Overhaul Remade Remastered (LE|SE)
• CFTO – Carriage and Ferry Travel Overhaul (LE|SE)
• CGO – Combat Gameplay Overhaul (LE|SE)
• CH – Convenient Horses (LE|SE)
• CLLF – Containers and Leveled Lists Fixes (SE)
• COIN –  Coins of Interesting Natures (SE)
• CoMAP – Common Marker Addon Project (SE)
• CORI – (SkyRem) Class Overhaul Re-Imagined (SE)
• COT – Climates of Tamriel (LE|SE)
• COTN – Cities of the North (SE)
• CRF – Cutting Room Floor (LE|SE)
• CRP – Crafting Requires Permission (LE)
• DAR – Dynamic Animation Replacer (LE|SE)
• DA – Dev Aveza (LE|SE)
• DBM – (Legacy of the Dragonborn) Dragonborn Museum (LE|SE)
• DCO – Dragon Combat Overhaul (LE|SE)
• DD – Dear Diary (LE|SE)
• DDDM – Dear Diary Dark Mode (SE)
• DDL – Dynamic Dungeon Loot (LE|SE)
• DEST –  Don’t Eat Spell Tomes (SE)
• DGA – Dawnguard Arsenal (LE|SE)
• DMD – Dead Man’s Dread  (Creation Club Content)
• DNPCs – Detailed NPCs  (SE)
• DOS – Dawn of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• DSR – Dual Sheath Redux (LE)
• DSTL – Display Spell Tome LEvel (SE)
• DVLSS – Dynamic Volumetric Lighting and Sun Shadows  (SE)
• DWC – Diverse Werewolves Collection  (LE|SE)
• EBQO or BQO – Even Better Quest Objectives (LE|SE)
• EBT – Enhanced Blood Textures  (LE|SE)
• EFF –  Extensible Follower Framework (LE|SE)
• E****LE – Enhanced Lighting for ENB (LE|SE)
• ELFX – Enhanced Lights and FX (LE|SE)
• ELSA – (SkyRem) Early Life Skill Adjustment (SE)
• ETaC – Expanded Towns and Cities (LE|SE)
• EVE – (SkyRem) - Evolving Value Economy (SE)
• EVLAS – Enhanced Volumetric Lighting and Shadows (SE)
• EVT – Enhanced Vanilla Trees (LE|SE)
• EWM – Easy Wheel Menu (LE|SE)
• FAAC – Female Armors and Accessories Collection (SE)
• FCO – Follower Commentary Overhaul (LE|SE)
• FDI or IFD – Immersive Fort Dawnguard (LE|SE)
• FEC – Frozen Electrocuted Combustion (LE|SE)
• FISS(ES) – File Access Interface for Skyrim (Special Edition) Scripts (LE|SE)
• FMR – Forgotten Magic Redone (LE|SE)
• FOTFE –  Fashions of the Fourth Era (SE)
• FWMF –  Flat World Map Framework (SE)
• GABI – (SkyRem) Genders are Boringly Indistinct (SE)
• GAR – Guards Armor Replacer (LE|SE)
• GDO – Guard Dialogue Overhaul (LE|SE)
• GDOS – Glorious Doors of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• GIST – Genuinely Intelligent Soul Trap (LE|SE)
• GFoRR – Good Folks of Raven Rock (SE)
• GMV – Greenmount Village (LE|SE)
• GPSoS – GooglePox’s Supplies of Skyrim (SE)
• GRACE – (SkyRem) Gabi, Rae, Ava, Cori, Elsa (SE)
• HA – Heavy Armory (LE|SE)
• HOHQE – House of Horrors Quest Expansion (SE)
• HOW – (Legacy of the Dragonborn CC Patches) Hall of Wonders (SE)
• HPH – High Poly Head (LE|SE)
• HPP – High Poly Project (LE|SE)
• HR – Helgen Reborn (LE|SE)
• IA – Immersive Armor (LE|SE)
• ICOW – Immersive College of Winterhold (LE|SE)
• ICH – Improved Closefaced Helmets (LE|SE)
• ICNs – Immersive College NPCs (SE)
• IDDP – Immersive Dawnguard Dayspring Pass (LE|SE)
• IED – Immersive Equipment Displays (LE|SE)
• IH – Immersive Horses (LE|SE)
• IHUD – Immersive Heads Up Display (LE|SE)
• INEZ – (SkyRem) Improved NPC Encounter Zones (SE)
• ISC – Immersive Sounds Compendium (LE|SE)
• IW – Immersive Weapons (LE|SE)
• IWE – Immersive World Encounters (LE|SE)
• IWI – Immersive Weapon Integration (SE)
• JOP – Joy of Perspective (LE|SE)
• KA – Konahrik’s Accoutrements (LE|SE)
• KIC – Keep it Clean (SE)
• KID – Keyword Item Distributor (SE)
• KOTN – Knights of the North (Creation Club Content)
• KTA – Khash the Argonian (LE|SE)
• KWF – Khajiit Will Follow (LE|SE)
• LCO – Lawbringer (LE|SE)
• LFGM – Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods (SE)
• LHRM – Left Hand Rings Modified (LE|SE)
• LORA – (SkyRem) Loot Overhaul Rarity and Abundance (SE)
• LOS – Lanterns of Skyrim (LE|SE) and LOS II (SE)
• LOTD – Legacy of the Dragonborn (LE|SE)
• MAS – Moon and Star (LE|SE)
• MCOW – Magical College of Winterhold (LE|SE)
• MIA – (SkyRem) More Immersive Activation (SE)
• MILK – Many Immersive Lootboxes and Keys (LE|SE)
• MLOS – Medieval Lanterns of Skyrim (SE)
• MLU – MorrowLoot Ultimate (LE|SE)
• MM – Majestic Mountains (LE|SE)
• MSFF – Magic Support Follower Framework (SE)
• NARC – No Animals Report Crimes (LE|SE)
• NFF – Nether’s Follower Framework (LE|SE)
• NTMD – No Team Magic Damage (LE|SE)
• NSUTR – No Snow Under the Roof (LE|SE)
• OAP – Oblivion Artifacts Pack (LE|SE)
• OBIS – Organized Bandits in Skyrim (LE|SE)
• OCS – Open Cities Skyrim (LE|SE)
• OCW – Obscure’s College of Winterhold (SE)
• OWL – Open World Loot (SE)
• P&P – Prince and Pauper (LE|SE)
• PCE – Palaces and Castles Enhanced (LE|SE)
• PSR – Populated Skyrim Reborn (SE)
• PYP – Protect Your People (LE|SE)
• PWER – Passive Weapon Enchantment Recharging (LE|SE)
• QAIS – Quests Are In Skyrim (LE|SE)
• QRR – Quaint Raven Rock (LE|SE)
• QUARK – Qwinn’s Ultimate Amulet Restoration Kit (SE)
• QUASIPC – Qwinn’s Unified Automated Self Installing Patch Compendium (SE)
• QUSTR – Qwinn’s Universal Skin Texture Replacer (SE)
• RAE – (SkyRem) Race Abilities Enhanced (SE)
• RAO – Reverb and Ambiance Overhaul (LE|SE)
• RASS – Rain Ash and Snow Shaders (LE|SE)
• RBB – Realistic Boat Bobbing (LE|SE)
• RC-BE – Rare Curios – Bolts Expanded (SE)
• RDO – Relationship Dialogue Overhaul (LE|SE)
• RFM – Reforging To The Masses (LE|SE)
• RLO – Realistic Lighting Overhaul (LE|SE)
• RND – Realistic Needs and Diseases (LE|SE)
• ROM – Reliquary of Myth (LE|SE)
• RS – Relighting Skyrim (LE|SE)
• RSCO – RS Children Overhaul (LE|SE)
• RRSC – Realistic RS Children (LE|SE)
• RTSSDNDSS – Realistic Trading Stocks of Skyrim (with DND Spellcasting Service) (LE)
• RWT – Realistic Water Two (LE|SE)
• SDA – Serana Dialogue Add-on (LE|SE)
• SDE – Serana Dialogue Edit (LE|SE)
• SFO – Skyrim Flora Overhaul (LE|SE)
• SK****SE – Skyrim Script Extender (LE|SE)
• SIC – Skyrim Immersive Creatures (LE|SE)
• SIGE – Skyrim In-Game Editor (LE|SE)
• SkyUIWP – SkyUI Weapons Pack (LE|SE)
• SMIM – Static Mesh Improvement Mod (LE|SE)
• SOI – Outfitting Skyrim (SE)
• SOT – Sands of Time (LE|SE)
• SOT – Sidekicks of Tamriel (SE)
• SOTW – Skills of the Wild (LE|SE)
• SPERG – Skyrim Perk Enhancements and Rebalanced Gameplay (LE|SE)
• SPID – Spell Perk Item Distributor (SE)
• SPO – Skyrim Project Optimization (LE|SE)
• SRCEO – Skyrim Revamped Complete Enemy Overhaul (SE)
• SRE – Strange Random Encounters (SE)
• SRO – Skyrim Realistic Overhaul (LE|SE)
• SSoB – Stackable Stones of Barenziah (LE|SE)
• SSOS – Stunning Statues of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• SUT – Skyrims Unique Treasures (LE|SE)
• SWF – Seasonal Weather Framework (SE)
• SWL – Simple Wearable Lanterns (SE)
• SWIFT – Skyrim Wayshrines – Immersive Fast Travel (LE|SE)
• TCBM – Taking Care of Business (LE|SE) and Redux (LE|SE)
• TCC – The Curator’s Companion (SE)
• TCIY – The Choice is Yours (LE|SE)
• TEOB – The Eyes of Beauty (LE|SE)
• TGC & TGV – The Great Cities and The Great Villages (LE|SE)
• TGCON – The Gray Cowl of Nocturnal (LE|SE)
• TOK – Tools of Kagrenac (LE|SE)
• TOTS – Turn of the Seasons (SE)
• TPOS and TPOS2 – The People of Skyrim (SE) and (SE)
• TSR – Teldryn Serious (LE|SE)
• TUDM – The Ultimate Dodge Mod (SE)
• UCOW – Ultimate College of Winterhold (SE)
• UFO – Ultimate Follower Overhaul (LE|SE)
• UHDAP – Unofficial High Definition Audio Project (SE)
• UIT – Unique Item Tweaks (SE)
• USLEP – Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch (LE)
• USSEP – Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (SE)
• USCCCP – Unofficial Skyrim Creation Club Content Patches (SE)
• USMP – Unofficial Skyrim Modder’s Patch (SE)
• UVCPC – Umgak’s Vokrii Compatibility Patch Compendium (SE)
• VIS – Valdacil’s Item Sorting (LE|SE)
• WACCF – Weapons Armor Clothing & Clutter Fixes (LE|SE)
• WDBR – Wind District Breezehome Reborn (LE|SE)
• WFB – Whiterun Forest Borealis (LE|SE)
• WFOS – Wintersun Faiths of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• WIC – Winter is Coming (LE|SE)
• WICO – Windsong Immersive Character Overhaul (LE|SE)
• WMA – Warmonger Armory (LE|SE)
• WOW – Wonders of Weather (LE|SE)
• XPMS/XPM****SE/XPMSSE – XP32’s Skeleton Extender (LE|LE|SE)
• YASH – Yet Another Skyrim Hardcore Mod (LE|SE)
• YASTM – Yet Another Soul Trap Manager (SE)
• YAWTO – Yet Another Whiterun Tree Overhaul (SE)
• YCM and YCM_ADBEM – Your Choices Matter – a Dark Brotherhood Expansion (LE|SE)
• YOT – Your Own Thoughts (LE|SE)
• YOTP – Your Orb to Ponder (SE)
• ZIA – Zim’s Immersive Artifacts (LE|SE)
• ZTH – Zim’s Thane Weapons (LE|SE)

And finally, all of the SOS mods I could find (the majority of these are by wSkeever, who seems to be on a personal mission to make as many SOS mods as possible lol):

• Sagas of Sellswords (SE)
• Scallions of Skyrim (SE)
• Schlongs of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• Sconces of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• Scribes of Skyrim (SE)
• Seagulls of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• Seasons of Skyrim (SE)
• Security Overhaul SKSE (SE)
• Shaders of Solstheim (LE|SE)
• Shadows of Sunlight (SE)
• Sharpen Other Swords (SE)
• Shrubs of Snow (SE)
• Sidequests of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• Sigils of Skyrim (SE)
• Simple Obvious Spell-Crafting (SE)
• Simple Offence Suppression (SE)
• Simple Optional Shortcuts (SE)
• Simple Outfit System (SE)
• Simplicity of Snow (LE|SE)
• Simply Order Summons (SE)
• Slip Off Slopes (SE)
• Smart Optimal Salves (SE)
• Sounds of Skyrim (LE|SE)
• Soups of Skyrim (SE)
• Spiders of Solstheim (LE|SE)
• Sprites or Specters – ENB Light (SE)
• Sweeping Organizes Stuff (SE)
• Solstheim Objects SMIMed (LE|SE)
• Solitude Objects SMIMed – Castle Dour Spire (LE|SE)
• Solitude Objects SMIMed – Festival Ropes (LE|SE)
• Solitude Objects SMIMed – Solitude Well (LE|SE)
• Souls of SOS (SE)
• Stockades of Skyrim (SE)
• Stones of Solitude (SE)
• Sufficiently Optimized Snowberries (LE|SE)
• Supplies of Skyrim (SE)
• Swiftly Order Squad (SE)