Fachwort

A Fachwort is a term used within a particular field or discipline to convey precise meaning that may not be captured by everyday language. It names a specific concept, process, object, or relationship and is often defined within professional or academic contexts. The word is German and literally means “field word,” with Fach meaning field or discipline and Wort meaning word. In English, the closest equivalents are “technical term” or “terminus technicus.”

Fachwörter form part of the Fachsprache, the specialized language of a field, and they are typically found in textbooks, glossaries, manuals, and regulatory texts. They can be single words, compounds, or established phrases. Their precise definition may be agreed within a community and may evolve with advances in science and law. When translating or explaining Fachwörter to lay audiences, it is common to provide a definition or paraphrase and, if necessary, the everyday equivalent.

Fachwort versus related terms: In German linguistics, terms such as Fachausdruck (technical expression) and Fachterminus (technical term) are related. Fachwort refers to the actual lexical unit, while Fachsprache denotes the broader specialized language, and Fachwortschatz denotes the vocabulary of a field.

Examples illustrate its use in different domains: in medicine, Verjährungsfrist is a Fachwort for a legal time limit after which claims expire; in biology, Photosynthese is a common Fachwort describing the light-driven production of energy in plants.