A translation glossary is an alphabetical list of the key terms used in translation and localization, with short, plain-language definitions, so clients, developers and translators speak the same language. This glossary covers more than 35 terms, from CAT tool and fuzzy match to TMX and XLIFF, with links to deeper guides. If you are looking for a project glossary of approved terminology for your own brand, see the section at the end.
Terms A–C
- AI translation: Translation produced by artificial intelligence, including neural machine translation engines and large language models.
- Back translation: Translating a translation back into the source language to check meaning.
- Bilingual file: A file that contains source and target text side by side, such as XLIFF or SDLXLIFF.
- CAT tool: Computer-assisted translation tool: an editor with translation memory, terminology and QA.
- Character encoding: The system that stores text as bytes; UTF-8 is the standard for localization.
- Concordance search: Searching translation memory for how a word or phrase was translated before.
- Context match: A 100% match where the surrounding segments are also identical.
Terms D–I
- DTP (desktop publishing): Adjusting the layout of translated documents so they look like the original.
- Exact match: A segment that is identical to one already stored in translation memory.
- Fuzzy match: A stored translation of a similar, but not identical, segment, shown with a percentage.
- Glossary / term base: A list of approved terms and their translations.
- Hreflang: An HTML attribute that tells search engines which language version of a page to show.
- i18n (internationalization): Designing software so it can be adapted to any language without code changes.
- In-context review: Checking translations where they will appear, such as in the app or on the page.
Terms L–P
- L10n (localization): Adapting a product or content to a specific market, including language, formats and culture.
- Locale: A combination of language and region, such as fr-CA or es-MX.
- LQA (linguistic quality assurance): Scoring translation quality with error categories and severities.
- LSP: Language service provider: a company that provides translation and localization services.
- Machine translation (MT): Automatic translation by software.
- MTPE: Machine translation post-editing: human editing of machine-translated text.
- MQM: Multidimensional Quality Metrics, a framework for classifying translation errors.
- Placeholder: A variable in a string, such as {name}, that must not be translated.
- Pseudo-localization: Testing software with altered text to find internationalization bugs.
Terms Q–Z
- QA checks: Automated checks for numbers, tags, terminology, spelling and consistency.
- Repetition: A segment that appears more than once in the same project.
- RTL: Right-to-left languages such as Arabic and Hebrew.
- Segment: A unit of text, usually a sentence, that is translated and stored in memory.
- Source text: The original text to be translated.
- Style guide: Rules for tone, formatting and language conventions in a target language.
- Target text: The translated text.
- Tag: Formatting or code markup protected during translation.
- TMS: Translation management system: software that manages the full translation process.
- TMX: Translation Memory eXchange, the standard file format for moving translation memories.
- TBX: TermBase eXchange, the standard file format for terminology.
- Transcreation: Recreating marketing content for a new market rather than translating it literally.
- Translation memory (TM): A database of approved source and target segments.
- XLIFF: XML Localization Interchange File Format, a standard bilingual format.
Two Meanings of "Translation Glossary"
The term is used in two ways. The first is a glossary of industry terms, like this page. The second is a project or client glossary: a list of approved translations for product names, technical terms and brand vocabulary, which translators and AI engines must follow. A project glossary is one of the most effective ways to improve translation quality. Read our guide to terminology management and translation glossaries to build one.
How to Create a Project Glossary
- Collect key terms from product, marketing and legal content.
- Add a definition and context for each term.
- Agree on approved translations with in-market reviewers.
- Mark terms that must never be translated, such as brand names.
- Store the glossary in a term base connected to your translation tool.
- Exchange it with partners in TBX or spreadsheet format. See our guide to termbases and TBX files.
Industry definitions in this glossary follow common usage in standards such as ISO 17100 and the W3C internationalization guidance.
Use Your Glossary in WordBeam
WordBeam includes a term base on every plan. Approved terms appear next to each segment in the CAT editor, guide AI engines such as DeepL, GPT and Claude, and are checked automatically by QA checks before delivery. Start a free 14-day trial and import your glossary today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a glossary in translation?
It is a list of terms with their approved translations or definitions, used to keep terminology consistent.
What is the difference between a glossary and a translation memory?
A glossary stores individual terms; a translation memory stores whole translated sentences.
What file format is used for glossaries?
TBX is the standard exchange format, but many teams also use CSV or XLSX files.