This International Standard establishes the basic principles and methods for preparing and compiling terminologies both inside and outside the framework of standardization, and describes the links between objects, concepts, and their terminological representations. It also establishes general principles governing the formation of terms and appellations and the formulation of definitions. Full and complete understanding of these principles requires some background knowledge of terminology work. The principles are general in nature and this International Standard is applicable to terminology work in scientific, technological, industrial, administrative and other fields of knowledge.

This International Standard does not stipulate procedures for the layout of international terminology standards, which are treated in ISO 10241.