# Glossary convention

A project's glossary pins canonical nomenclature so terminology does
not drift over time, and so that LLM-driven work reuses the
established term for a concept instead of coining a fresh synonym each
session. This file owns the format, the reading obligation, and the
write discipline; an individual project's glossary is an instance of
this convention.

## Where it lives

A project opts in by setting `paths.glossary` in its
`.claude/dev-cycle-profile.yml` (see `profile-schema.md` § `paths`).
When the slot is set, the file it names is standing reading for every
role — no separate `standing_reading.always` entry is required. When
the slot is unset, the whole feature is a documented no-op.

## Format

The glossary is a flat list of per-term blocks (not a table), so an
appended entry produces a clean line-wise diff. Each block has exactly
three fields:

1. a level-3 heading naming the **canonical term** to use;
2. an **Avoid:** line listing known synonyms that must NOT be used;
3. a definition of at most two sentences.

```
### canonical-term
**Avoid:** synonym-one, synonym-two
A definition of at most two sentences.
```

A term with no known synonyms still carries an `**Avoid:** —` line so
every block has the same three-field shape.

## Reading obligation

Every skill and agent reads the glossary as part of its standing
reading and, when producing prose or naming a concept, uses the
canonical term and avoids the listed synonyms. If a concept is not
listed, reuse the closest existing term — do not silently coin a new
one.

## Extending the glossary (user + boss only)

The user may edit the glossary at any time. In a `/boss` session the
orchestrator may extend it autonomously — but only to **record
reality, never to invent**:

- A term already used consistently across shipped artefacts but not
  yet listed → add it, with its known synonyms under **Avoid**.
- A drift the orchestrator just resolved (two terms for one concept)
  → record the winner as the canonical entry, the loser under
  **Avoid**.

The orchestrator never coins a brand-new term into the glossary: a
term earns its entry by already being in consistent use. All other
skills and agents are read-only consumers of the glossary.