preferredTerm

A preferred term, in information organization practice, is the designated label used to represent a concept or entity within a controlled vocabulary, taxonomy, or thesaurus. It is the preferred form chosen to be consistently used in indexing, cataloging, and retrieval, while alternative spellings, synonyms, or entry terms may exist but are considered non-preferred or variant forms. In data models, this is sometimes represented by a specific property such as preferredTerm or prefLabel.

The purpose of a preferred term is to standardize terminology across a collection or system. By using a single, approved label, libraries, databases, and catalogs achieve more reliable search results, reduce ambiguity among homographs, and support interoperable data exchange between systems. Preferred terms also facilitate multilingual retrieval when translations of the preferred term are maintained for different languages or locales.

In practice, a preferred term is part of a larger set of relationships in a controlled vocabulary or ontology. Non-preferred terms act as entry terms or synonyms that map to the preferred term. In linked data frameworks, the preferred term is often implemented as a skos:prefLabel, with synonyms as skos:altLabel and related concepts linked through broader, narrower, or related relationships.

Creation and governance of preferred terms are typically the responsibility of a producing organization, such as a library, archive, or standards body. Authority records, thesauri, and metadata guidelines (for example, ISO 25964 or related library standards) govern term selection, maintenance, and versioning to ensure consistency over time.