Definition and definition reference

You can find the ‘Definition’ and ‘Definition reference’ fields in the language level (LL) of the entry.

This page contains the following sections:

HOW TO DRAFT A DEFINITION

You should provide a clear and concise definition (maximum 5 500 characters, including spaces) so that it is easy to understand the concept of the entry. If you cannot find or write a suitable definition, include at least a ‘Note’ at LL with relevant information on the concept, or a ‘Term in context’ quotation at term level (TL).

Make sure your definition is equally valid for all the terms in your language and corresponds to the definition given in the anchor language, which serves as the reference point for the entry as a whole. This follows from the key principle in IATE that each entry represents a single concept, which applies ‘horizontally’ across all languages and ‘vertically’ across all the terms in each language.

You may also translate the anchor language definition and use it for your language, as long as it fully covers the terms in your language. This prevents conceptual drift between languages. If you have translated the definition from the anchor language, replicate its cited sources in your own definition reference field.

For legal concepts, where slight variations in meaning may exist across languages, use the ‘Note’ field to explain any differences between your language and the anchor language.

When drafting your definition:

  • Include only the core elements needed to clarify the concept.
  • Exclude examples, illustrations, or non-essential details. Such information can be added sparingly in the ‘Note’ field.
Your definition should follow the substitution principle: it should start with the same part of speech as the term, and it should be possible to substitute the term in a sentence with your definition.

For example:
Term: earthquake
Definition: shaking of the ground suddenly caused by seismic waves passing through the Earth’s rocks
Substitution: The earthquake measured 6.5 on the Richter scale. → The shaking of the ground suddenly caused by seismic waves passing through the Earth’s rocks measured 6.5 on the Richter scale.

(Note: this example is in English and follows the rules set out in the English language-specific annex. For rules related to your language, please see your own language annex.)

Typographical standards for definitions should be agreed upon interinstitutionally at the language community level and included in the language-specific annexes.

USING A DEFINITION FROM EU LEGISLATION

If you want to use a definition found in EU legislation, include it only if:

  • the definition is sufficiently broad to explain the concept in a general context, or
  • the entry relates exclusively to that specific legal act.

Ensure that the definition is understandable outside the context of the legal act, and make any necessary clarifications to it.

DRAFTING A DEFINITION WITH THE HELP OF AI

AI-generated definitions can serve as as a starting point for drafting your own definition. Assess the AI-generated definition critically, always verify its correctness against reliable sources, and never directly replicate the output from generative AI models. Be aware that with generative AI, there is always the risk of errors, biases or excessive creativity (leading to incorrect definitions), or copyright issues. The final wording of the definition should be your original work.

If you have used AI-generated content as a basis of your own definition, follow normal referencing rules: you may cite your language section, unit, or department as the reference, or, if you have found authoritative references that support this definition, add ‘based on’ followed by these references.

DEFINITION REFERENCES

The definition reference field tells users where the definition comes from. This field is mandatory if you have provided a definition, as definitions cannot be stored in IATE without a reference.

You can use a wide range of sources, even Wikipedia, as long as the concept has been thoroughly researched. Cite the most useful, relevant or authoritative source.

It is possible to create multiple reference fields for the same definition. However, if the translators in your institution use termbases, you should be aware that only the first of the multiple reference fields will appear in any SDLTB or TBX export files. As a workaround, you can either insert the most important reference in that first field, or cite multiple sources in a single reference field.

If you wrote the definition yourself, reference your language section, unit, or department as the author.

Examples:

Examples:
An English terminologist from the Commission working on an EN definition: COM-EN
A Bulgarian terminologist from the European Parliament working on a BG definition: ЕП-БГ
A French terminologist from the Council working on a FR definition: Consilium-FR
Terminology coordinator from the Commission working on an EN definition: COM-Terminology Coordination

If you based the definition on one or more published sources, include those sources in your reference, e.g.:

  • COM-EN, based on: [original source(s)]
  • Conseil-FR, d’après [référence source(s) originale(s)]

In this case, insert the full reference, i.e. your entity and the original sources, in a single reference field.

Use the Add link icon in the formatting bar to ensure links work properly and are created correctly. Look up and insert EUR-Lex references via the EUR-Lex reference module (by clicking on the ‘EUR-Lex search’ icon).

For more details on referencing, see References.

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