Term Types

ISO 12620 / TBX term_type classification for designations. Each designation can carry a term_type that classifies what kind of term it is — orthographic variants, symbolic notations, or usage/provenance categories.

Usage

The term_type field is set on individual designations within a localization:

termid: "3.1.1.1"
eng:
  terms:
    - type: expression
      designation: "entity"
      normative_status: preferred
      term_type: full_form
    - type: abbreviation
      designation: "ENT"
      normative_status: admitted
      term_type: initialism

Multiple designations for the same concept can have different term types, allowing the concept to be known under different forms.

Orthographic / structural

Type	Description
full_form	The full, unabbreviated form of a designation
abbreviation	A shortened form
acronym	An abbreviation formed from initial letters
initialism	An abbreviation pronounced letter by letter
clipped_term	A term shortened by removing one or more syllables
short_form	A short form of a designation
transliterated_form	A form produced by transliteration
transcribed_form	A form produced by transcription
truncation	A term truncated to a fixed length
variant	An alternative form

Symbolic / formulaic

Type	Description
symbol	A symbol representing a concept
formula	A mathematical or chemical formula
equation	A mathematical equation
logical_expression	A logical expression
mathematical_expression	A mathematical expression
reference_symbol	A reference symbol
figure_symbol	A figure or diagram symbol
graphic_symbol	A graphical symbol
letter_symbol	A single letter symbol
roman_numeral	A Roman numeral

Usage / provenance

Type	Description
code	A code or identifier
common_name	A commonly used name
entry_term	The main entry term
internationalism	An internationally used term
international_scientific_term	An international scientific term
part_number	A part or component number
phrase	A phrase used as a term
phraseological_unit	A phraseological unit
scientific_name	A scientific (Latin) name
shortcut	A shortcut designation
sku	A stock keeping unit
standard_text	Standard text
synonym	A synonymous term
synonymous_phrase	A synonymous phrase

See the Entity Field Reference for the complete enumeration with definitions, or the Standards compliance reference for ISO standard mappings.