TerminologieSets

Terminologieset, or terminology set, refers to a curated collection of terms used to describe concepts within a particular domain. A terminologieset typically includes preferred labels, synonyms, definitions, and associated metadata that enable precise annotation, search, and data exchange. The term emphasizes structured organization and reuse across systems, rather than informal lists or unstructured vocabularies.

Core components usually include: a unique concept identifier, a preferred term or label, alternative labels or synonyms, definitions, language and locale, scope notes, usage guidance, and status or version information. Relationships among terms are commonly represented as broader, narrower, and related terms, and mappings to external standards or ontologies may be included.

Construction and maintenance involve curation and governance. Terminologiesets may be built from expert input, automated term extraction, and alignment with existing standards. They are versioned and subject to change control, with deprecated terms and retired mappings managed over time. Encoding formats such as SKOS (Simple Knowledge Organization System), RDF, or OWL are frequently used to enable machine readability and interoperability.

Applications include data integration and interoperability in health care, libraries, manufacturing, and information retrieval. A terminologieset supports semantic search, metadata tagging, and cross-system data exchange by providing consistent terminology and mappings to broader knowledge structures. Well-known examples include medical terminologies like SNOMED CT or ICD, and domain-specific sets used in science, law, or education.