skoscloseMatch

The skos:closeMatch property in the Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) is a property used to link resources that are considered to be closely related but not identical. It signifies a conceptual similarity between two concepts, suggesting that they can be used interchangeably in some contexts or represent very similar ideas. While skos:exactMatch indicates that two concepts are equivalent, skos:closeMatch suggests a looser relationship.

This property is valuable for mapping between different vocabularies or thesauri. For instance, if one vocabulary uses the term "automobile" and another uses "car," skos:closeMatch could be used to link these two terms, indicating that they represent essentially the same concept. It allows for a degree of flexibility in knowledge organization, acknowledging that different terminologies might exist for similar ideas.

The decision to use skos:closeMatch over skos:exactMatch depends on the degree of equivalence required. If the concepts are not perfectly aligned in all aspects but are highly similar and can be treated as substitutes for many purposes, skos:closeMatch is the appropriate choice. It helps users discover related concepts across different knowledge bases even when exact equivalence is not present.