structuré

Structuré is a French adjective meaning structured or organized according to a defined plan. Derived from the verb structurer, it is used to describe things that have a recognizable order or framework, such as a plan, argument, document, or system. In French technical and academic discourse, structuré signals that a component adheres to a formal schema or layout, enabling predictable interpretation and processing. The word agrees with gender and number (structuré/structurée, structurés/structurées).

In information technology and data management, structuré commonly refers to data arranged within a predefined schema. Structured data contrasts with unstructured data (free text, multimedia) and semi-structured data (tags, key‑value pairs). Examples include relational databases with tables, XML or JSON documents, and spreadsheet records. The key feature is explicit fields, types, and relationships, which facilitates querying, validation, and automation.

In programming and documentation, the concept is linked to structured programming, promoted in the 1960s and 1970s to reduce reliance on goto statements by organizing code around control structures such as sequences, selections, and loops. In markup and document design, structured documents use clearly defined sections and metadata to support retrieval and processing, as seen in SGML, XML, or JSON schemas. The term also appears in broader contexts to denote any system or discourse that follows a well-defined architecture, enhancing clarity and interoperability.