/terms/defined-term-schema
DefinedTerm schema
Citation status
Last checked 2026-05-21
What is DefinedTerm schema?
DefinedTerm is part of schema.org's core vocabulary, formalizing the structure of a defined term. Every DefinedTerm has a name, a description, an optional alternateName (synonyms), an inDefinedTermSet (the glossary or terminology resource it belongs to), and a canonical url. AI engines and traditional search engines parse DefinedTerm structures far more reliably than free-form definitions buried in prose.
Status in 2026
Suddenly central. The DefinedTerm type has existed since schema.org's early years but gained widespread adoption in 2025–2026 as AI engines began favoring schema-backed glossaries for definition queries. Sites that adopted DefinedTerm early have reported strong citation visibility in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overview.
How it relates to other concepts
- Sibling to other schema.org types: FAQPage, HowTo, Article.
- Core building block of "schema-first" GEO content strategies.
- Often paired with
inDefinedTermSet(a DefinedTermSet entity) to provide collection-level metadata, which AI engines use to evaluate glossary authority. - Directly enhances cite-ability by structuring the claim into a discrete machine-readable unit.
Related terms
FAQ
- How do I add DefinedTerm to my page?
- Embed JSON-LD in the page's <head> with @type: DefinedTerm and the core properties: name (the term), description (the definition), url (the canonical URL), and inDefinedTermSet (the glossary it belongs to). Optional: alternateName for synonyms, datePublished, dateModified.
- Does DefinedTerm replace FAQ schema?
- No — they complement. DefinedTerm marks the term itself as a structured entity; FAQPage marks questions and answers about the term. A glossary page typically ships both.
- Does Google's AI Overview parse DefinedTerm?
- Yes. As of 2026, DefinedTerm-tagged definitions appear in AI Overview citations at materially higher rates than equivalent prose-only definitions, per multiple practitioner reports.