Vocabulary

EGDI Vocabulary

A list of terms, concepts or entities in the scope of a geoscientific project and how they are semantically related.

The vocabulary can include code lists used to define the valid values for the attribute, or for real-world entities (faults, contacts, massifs, etc.) whose relationships are essential.

Controlled vocabularies that support harmonised European geological data

EGDI promotes the use of controlled vocabularies to improve consistency and interoperability across geological datasets contributed by different organisations. Shared concepts and preferred terms help align metadata, reduce ambiguity and support cross-border reuse of geological information in tools such as Data Search, the Metadata Catalogue and the Map Viewer.

What does a “vocabulary” mean in EGDI

In this context, a vocabulary is a curated set of terms (concepts) with stable identifiers and relationships that enable different providers to describe data consistently. Vocabularies make it easier to:

  • tag datasets using comparable terms;
  • translate concepts across languages;
  • improve semantic search and discovery;
  • document methods and constraints in a uniform structure.

Why vocabularies matter for semantic interoperability

Geoscience data is often described with domain-specific language. Controlled vocabularies reduce mismatches between providers and users (e.g., synonyms, local naming conventions), supporting more reliable discovery and integration in downstream workflows such as GIS, modelling and reporting.

Recommended workflow (3 steps)

  • Browse concepts in the EGDI Vocabulary tool to find preferred terms and relationships relevant to your domain.
  • Use the same controlled terms when creating or updating dataset metadata records to improve consistency.
  • Discover resources through EGDI tools: run searches in Data Search, validate metadata in the Metadata Catalogue and explore layers in the Map Viewer with harmonised context.

Related EGDI resources

Access to

Open Vocabulary