Makrotason

Makrotason is a term used in information science to denote a high-level layer of classification intended to organize knowledge at a macro scale. The term combines makro- meaning large with a neologism derived from taxonomy, indicating broad groupings of related micro-taxa into larger classes. The concept is not standard in mainstream taxonomy but appears in theoretical discussions to illustrate macro-level organization.

A makrotason sits above the micro-taxon layer and provides governance, naming conventions, and cross-walks between domains. It emphasizes scalability and interoperability, often in knowledge graphs and digital libraries. Key characteristics include a hierarchical structure, cross-domain linkages, versioning and governance, and explicit mappings to more detailed subcategories. Makrotason designs are typically modular, allowing new domains to be added without disrupting existing classifications, and they support macro-level filters to guide users toward topics.

Applications include digital libraries, educational repositories, enterprise knowledge bases, and cross-disciplinary portals. They support broad topical exploration, initial search filtering, and cross-domain metadata alignment.

Origin and status: the term emerged in late 20th to early 21st-century discussions among information scientists as a way to conceptualize macro-level organization. It is not universally adopted and may be found mainly in theoretical papers or project documentation.

See also macro taxonomy, taxonomy, ontology, knowledge graph, faceted search.