# Preferred Term

<mark style="color:$danger;">**This Editorial Guide is used for Education Purposes Only. It is used in the Authoring Courses and Certifications. It is based on the January 2026 Editorial Guide.**</mark>

A *preferred term (PT)* is the description that is deemed to be the most clinically appropriate way of expressing a concept in a clinical record. It represents a common word or phrase used by clinicians to name a concept in clinical practice or in the literature. It is the synonym that is *preferred* in a language or dialect.

The use of a description can vary between different languages, dialects and contexts. A description may be preferred in some dialects, acceptable in others, and may not be used in some dialects. A Language Reference Set is used to specify the descriptions that are preferred or acceptable in each language or dialect.

A concept may have two descriptions marked as PT, one for each language.

For example, 32849002 | Esophageal structure (body structure)| has

* PT: Esophageal structure (US)
* PT: Oesophageal structure (GB)

A PT for one concept may also be a synonym for another concept.

For example,

* 84162001 | Cold sensation quality (qualifier value)| has a preferred term of *cold*
* 82272006 | Common cold (disorder)| also has a synonym of *cold*

In both concepts, *cold* represents a common clinical phrase used to capture the meaning of the concept.

The PT is indicated by the acceptabilityId field, for a particular language or dialect.

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