terminology
Americannoun
-
the system of terms belonging or peculiar to a science, art, or specialized subject; nomenclature.
the terminology of botany.
-
the science of terms, as in particular sciences or arts.
noun
-
the body of specialized words relating to a particular subject
-
the study of terms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of terminology
1795–1805; < Medieval Latin termin ( us ) term + -o- + -logy
Explanation
Terminology is vocabulary associated with a certain field of study, profession, or activity. Knowing the terminology is an important part of being able to work in a given profession. When your nuclear physicist friends start talking shop and it suddenly sounds like they are speaking a different language, they are probably using nuclear physics terminology. Education terminology includes "rubric," "lesson plan," "pop quiz," "term paper," "student engagement." Medical terminology includes "blood work," "CVC," "scalpel," "set." Lawyers sometimes use legal terminology such as "forthwith," "heretofore" and "the part of the first part" to intimidate people they might want to threaten to sue. It works.
Vocabulary lists containing terminology
Power Suffix: -ology
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Freak the Mighty
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "T"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The terminology we use to talk about “countries” has been naturalized over centuries by the dominance of the form of the nation-state on the global political scene.
From Slate ● Jul. 4, 2026
In finance, complex terminology is frequently used to describe simple ideas.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
“The shared terminology is a natural expression of collective pride in 250 years of American independence.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026
“Paris Is Burning” remains the greatest crash course in this terminology and is essential watching for every human, not just queer people.
From Salon ● May 10, 2026
I tried to remember the terminology used in the spy magazines but could not recall any.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
Or a long series of practice reps to better understand new systems and terminologies.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2022
He also revealed that his stage name came from "little terminologies" he developed with friends in the 1990s.
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2022
“They’ll use any platform available, and they will adjust their methods to evade detection, like switching terminologies and using code words.”
From National Geographic ● Dec. 18, 2020
Communicating court terminologies is different to speaking for an asylum seeker in counselling, or a child in speech therapy, where a professional relies on my exact delivery to form a proper opinion.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 20, 2019
“Oh, you know—when you have millennia of memories in this mortal mind, it’s hard to remember terminologies all the time.”
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
