The word prim is a shortened version of "primitive" and refers to the 3D polygonal shapes used by residents to build objects in Second Life. Commonly used primitive shapes are cubes, spheres, and cylinders which can all be "linked" together to form more complex objects. Other types of prims are prisms, tori, rings, and tubes. Prims can be edited in a multitude of ways (parameters/properties): scale, cut, hollow, twist, dimple, shear, skew, revolve, radius delta, set physical, made flexible and/or a light, and more.