DefinedTerm Schema
Also known as: definedterm schema, glossary structured data, DefinedTermSet markup
DefinedTerm is a Schema.org type that marks up a glossary entry — its name, description, and parent term set — so search engines and AI answer engines can identify a page as the authoritative definition of a specific term.
- Key properties: name, description, inDefinedTermSet, and an optional termCode.
- A glossary index uses DefinedTermSet with a hasDefinedTerm array of entries.
- It adds semantic clarity for crawlers and AI but produces no visual rich result in Google Search.
What DefinedTerm describes
DefinedTerm is a Schema.org vocabulary type representing a single defined word or concept, typically within a controlled vocabulary or glossary. The core properties are name (the term itself), description (the definition text), inDefinedTermSet (a reference to the parent DefinedTermSet, e.g. a glossary), and termCode (an optional stable identifier or slug).
Glossaries publish it as JSON-LD inside a `<script type="application/ld+json">` block. A page defining one term uses a single DefinedTerm; an index page listing many terms uses a DefinedTermSet whose hasDefinedTerm array contains each entry. The two forms cross-link via the term set's `@id`.
Why it matters for SEO and AI answers
Unlike rich-result types such as FAQ or HowTo, DefinedTerm does not currently produce a special visual treatment in Google Search. Its value is semantic: it tells crawlers and large-language-model retrieval systems that a page is a canonical definition, which helps disambiguate jargon and strengthens topical authority across a reference cluster.
Pair it with clean canonical-tag URLs, a descriptive meta-description, and internal links between related terms so the whole glossary reads as one connected DefinedTermSet. Keep the description concise and self-contained — the same wording can surface in AI Overviews and answer engines that extract definitions.