diff --git a/crates/aura-core/src/lib.rs b/crates/aura-core/src/lib.rs
index 8d6fdf1..2681be5 100644
--- a/crates/aura-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/aura-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ pub use column::{Column, Window};
 pub use ctx::Ctx;
 pub use error::KindMismatch;
 pub use node::{
-    zip_params, BindOpError, BoundParam, FieldSpec, Firing, Node, NodeSchema, ParamSpec, PortSpec,
-    PrimitiveBuilder,
+    doc_gate, zip_params, BindOpError, BoundParam, DocGateFault, FieldSpec, Firing, Node,
+    NodeSchema, ParamSpec, PortSpec, PrimitiveBuilder,
 };
 pub use scalar::{Scalar, ScalarKind, Timestamp};
 pub use series_fold::SeriesFold;
diff --git a/crates/aura-core/src/node.rs b/crates/aura-core/src/node.rs
index b04f0a8..dd5c1de 100644
--- a/crates/aura-core/src/node.rs
+++ b/crates/aura-core/src/node.rs
@@ -345,6 +345,35 @@ pub struct NodeSchema {
     pub inputs: Vec<PortSpec>,
     pub output: Vec<FieldSpec>,
     pub params: Vec<ParamSpec>,
+    /// One-line meaning of the node — non-load-bearing metadata, shown by
+    /// introspection surfaces.
+    pub doc: &'static str,
+}
+
+/// Shape fault of a vocabulary entry's meaning line (C29 gate).
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum DocGateFault {
+    Empty,
+    RestatesName,
+}
+
+/// Deterministic shape check for a vocabulary entry's meaning line —
+/// string shape only, never content judgement (the engine must not
+/// evaluate prose).
+pub fn doc_gate(name: &str, doc: &str) -> Result<(), DocGateFault> {
+    if doc.trim().is_empty() {
+        return Err(DocGateFault::Empty);
+    }
+    fn norm(s: &str) -> String {
+        s.chars()
+            .filter(|c| c.is_ascii_alphanumeric())
+            .map(|c| c.to_ascii_lowercase())
+            .collect()
+    }
+    if norm(doc) == norm(name) {
+        return Err(DocGateFault::RestatesName);
+    }
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 /// The universal composable dataflow unit (C8): a **producer, consumer, or both**.
@@ -446,13 +475,14 @@ mod tests {
                 inputs: vec![],
                 output: vec![],
                 params: vec![ParamSpec { name: "length".into(), kind: ScalarKind::I64 }],
+                doc: "test-only schema",
             },
             |_| Box::new(Bare),
         );
         assert_eq!(with.label(), "SMA");
         let none = PrimitiveBuilder::new(
             "Sub",
-            NodeSchema { inputs: vec![], output: vec![], params: vec![] },
+            NodeSchema { inputs: vec![], output: vec![], params: vec![], doc: "test-only schema" },
             |_| Box::new(Bare),
         );
         assert_eq!(none.label(), "Sub");
@@ -482,7 +512,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn node_name_strips_namespace_prefix() {
         let b = PrimitiveBuilder::new(
             "demo::Identity",
-            NodeSchema { inputs: vec![], output: vec![], params: vec![] },
+            NodeSchema { inputs: vec![], output: vec![], params: vec![], doc: "test-only schema" },
             |_| unreachable!("never built in this test"),
         );
         assert_eq!(b.node_name(), "identity");
@@ -514,7 +544,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn primitive_builder_build_runs_the_closure() {
         let f = PrimitiveBuilder::new(
             "Bare",
-            NodeSchema { inputs: vec![], output: vec![], params: vec![] },
+            NodeSchema { inputs: vec![], output: vec![], params: vec![], doc: "test-only schema" },
             |_| Box::new(Bare),
         );
         assert_eq!(f.params(), Vec::<ParamSpec>::new());
@@ -529,6 +559,7 @@ mod tests {
                 inputs: vec![],
                 output: vec![],
                 params: vec![ParamSpec { name: "length".into(), kind: ScalarKind::I64 }],
+                doc: "test-only schema",
             },
             |_| Box::new(Bare),
         );
@@ -538,6 +569,21 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn schema_carries_declared_doc() {
+        let b = PrimitiveBuilder::new(
+            "SMA",
+            NodeSchema {
+                inputs: vec![],
+                output: vec![],
+                params: vec![],
+                doc: "simple moving average",
+            },
+            |_| Box::new(Bare),
+        );
+        assert_eq!(b.schema().doc, "simple moving average");
+    }
+
     /// A node whose label echoes the param vector its constructor received — lets a
     /// test read back the positional vector `.build()` reconstructed after binds.
     struct Probe(Vec<Cell>);
@@ -565,6 +611,7 @@ mod tests {
                     ParamSpec { name: "b".into(), kind: ScalarKind::I64 },
                     ParamSpec { name: "c".into(), kind: ScalarKind::F64 },
                 ],
+                doc: "test-only schema",
             },
             |p| Box::new(Probe(p.to_vec())),
         )
@@ -641,6 +688,7 @@ mod tests {
                 inputs: vec![],
                 output: vec![],
                 params: vec![ParamSpec { name: "length".into(), kind: ScalarKind::I64 }],
+                doc: "test-only schema",
             },
             |_| Box::new(Bare),
         );
@@ -659,6 +707,7 @@ mod tests {
                     ParamSpec { name: "dup".into(), kind: ScalarKind::I64 },
                     ParamSpec { name: "dup".into(), kind: ScalarKind::I64 },
                 ],
+                doc: "test-only schema",
             },
             |_| Box::new(Bare),
         );
@@ -674,6 +723,7 @@ mod tests {
                 inputs: vec![],
                 output: vec![],
                 params: vec![ParamSpec { name: "length".into(), kind: ScalarKind::I64 }],
+                doc: "test-only schema",
             },
             |_| Box::new(Bare),
         );
@@ -725,6 +775,7 @@ mod tests {
                     inputs: vec![],
                     output: vec![],
                     params: vec![ParamSpec { name: "length".into(), kind: ScalarKind::I64 }],
+                    doc: "test-only schema",
                 },
                 |_| Box::new(Bare),
             )
@@ -746,6 +797,24 @@ mod tests {
             })
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn doc_gate_refuses_empty_and_whitespace() {
+        assert_eq!(doc_gate("EMA", ""), Err(DocGateFault::Empty));
+        assert_eq!(doc_gate("EMA", "   \t"), Err(DocGateFault::Empty));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn doc_gate_refuses_name_restatement() {
+        assert_eq!(doc_gate("EMA", "EMA"), Err(DocGateFault::RestatesName));
+        assert_eq!(doc_gate("EMA", "e_m_a"), Err(DocGateFault::RestatesName));
+        assert_eq!(doc_gate("rolling_max", "Rolling Max"), Err(DocGateFault::RestatesName));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn doc_gate_accepts_a_meaning_line() {
+        assert_eq!(doc_gate("EMA", "exponential moving average over the input series"), Ok(()));
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]