I am a sucker for "knowing the exact term for a phenomena, a process, etc in a technical environment".

Jargon is probably not a good word since it's too casual, and probably disapproving.

  • Is it specifically for a technical environment, or does it also need to serve other contexts such as legal, medical, military, etc? – JeffSahol Jun 3 '15 at 14:33
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    Have you tried a thesaurus? There are at least 40 words that are synonyms to "jargon". Some of them actually fit your need. – Canis Lupus Jun 3 '15 at 14:55


It describes a set or system of names or terms. As in the particular science or art's correct names.

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    no need whatsoever to comment on, or answer, questions that should just be clicked closed – Fattie Jun 3 '15 at 16:11

I would go with terminology, as you said. Or vocabulary.

Terminology: n. The body of terms used with a particular technical application in a subject of study, theory, profession, etc.

Vocabulary: n. Words used on a particular occasion or in a particular sphere

- Oxford Dictionaries
- Oxford Dictionaries

Lingo would also work, although it is also colloquial and not as formal.

Lingo: n. The vocabulary or jargon of a particular subject or group of people

- Oxford Dictionaries


I would use lexicon in this place to refer to what you're calling an "environment".

Lexicon (noun):


That, in my opinion, is a better fit than "jargon", which commonly connotes the confounding elements of a certain group's vocabulary.

  • This is it. I was looking for this particular word. Nomenclature is too technical, I think. :) – NSF Jun 3 '15 at 15:26

I like "nomenclature" for this purpose, which is very close in definition to "Terminology":

Per definition 3a in Merriam-Webster Online:

Nomenclature: 3a: a system or set of terms or symbols especially in a particular science, discipline, or art

Example: "A directory and nomenclature of the first aeroplanes, 1809 to 1909" - Charles Harvard Gibbs-Smith, Science Museum (Great Britain) H.M.S.O., 1966


I would go with "precise technical term" or "precise technical definition".

What is the precise technical definition of hard real-time? 

Precise, because that conveys the idea a bit better than exact.

Technical, because you don't want the dictionary definition, but rather the current technical usage.

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