Meaning & use
terminology
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Meanings
noununcountable
The special words and phrases used within a particular subject, trade or profession.
Grammar: Usually uncountable: medical terminology, not a terminology. Use term for one word.
Patterns
- the terminology of something
- terminology for something
The nurse explained the diagnosis in plain language instead of medical terminology.
New programmers often struggle with the terminology.
Legal terminology can make contracts hard to follow.
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
The study of how technical terms are formed, defined and used, or a system of such terms for a field.
Grammar: As a field of study it is uncountable; as a set of terms for one subject it may be countable.
Patterns
- terminology of a field
She wrote her thesis on terminology in translation.
The committee agreed on a shared terminology for the new standard.
Word forms
| plural | terminologies |
|---|
Common combinations
- medical terminology
- She is studying medical terminology for her nursing course.
- technical terminology
- The manual avoids technical terminology.
- legal terminology
- The lawyer translated legal terminology into everyday English.
- use terminology
- Please use consistent terminology throughout the report.
- master the terminology
- It takes months to master the terminology of aviation.
- specialized terminology
- Specialized terminology can confuse beginners.
Synonyms and how they differ
- jargon
- Jargon often carries a negative sense of confusing or showy language, while terminology is a neutral word for correct specialist vocabulary.
- vocabulary
- Vocabulary is any set of words, whereas terminology means the technical words of one field.
- nomenclature
- Nomenclature is a formal system of naming, as in biology or chemistry, and is narrower than terminology.
- lingo
- Lingo is an informal and humorous word for the special speech of a group, and it sounds casual beside terminology.
Opposites
Word family
- term noun
- a word or phrase with a specific meaning
- terminological adjective
- relating to terminology
- terminologist noun
- a specialist who studies or manages technical terms
- terminologically adverb
- in terms of terminology
Commonly confused: terminology or terminal?
terminology vs terminal
Terminal means final or relating to an end, as in a terminal illness or an airport terminal. Terminology is about the special words of a field.
Practice
The tutor said the report was clear, but she asked the student to use consistent ___ for the key concepts.
Choose one answer.
Terminology is the set of special terms used in a subject. Terminal, terminate and territory look similar but do not mean technical vocabulary.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “terminology”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.