Thesauri
A thesaurus (from the Latin thesaurus , meaning "treasure") is a controlled and structured vocabulary terms and establish the semantic relationships between them, such as synonyms (equivalent terms), antonyms (opposite terms), and hierarchical (broader and more specific terms) and associative (related terms) relationships. It functions as a conceptual map, allowing the translation of users' natural language into a systematized language, facilitating indexing information retrieval .
The structure of a thesaurus is designed to resolve problems of ambiguity and terminological variety, ensuring that the same concept is represented consistently. For example, in a search engine, a user might search for "SEO for e-commerce," while content might be indexed under the term "optimization of online stores." A thesaurus connects these terms, ensuring that both lead to the same set of relevant results. This organization is typically built on three main types of relationships: the equivalence relationship (USE and Used For – UP), the hierarchical relationship (Generic Term – GT and Specific Term – TE), and the associative relationship (Related Term – TR).
In the context of semantic SEO and information architecture , thesauri play a vital role in organizing websites and optimizing content for search engines. By structuring information based on a controlled vocabulary, content creators can ensure their pages comprehensively cover a topic, connecting related concepts and improving the user experience understanding the context and depth of a page's content, which can result in better ranking for a wider range of queries .
In summary, a thesaurus is an essential tool for information and knowledge management, acting as a bridge between human language and computer systems. By standardizing and linking terms, it increases the efficiency of information retrieval, enriches data , and serves as a foundation for advanced SEO strategies and for building a web .
Sources:
- Archive.org. Guidelines for the construction and development of monolingual thesauri (ANSI/NISO Z39.19). Accessed on: September 26, 2025.
- "Diciotan." What is a Thesaurus? Dictionary of Archival and Diplomatic Terms. Accessed on: September 26, 2025.
- Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas. Thesaurus: a tool for organizing knowledge. Available at: https://www.puc-campinas.edu.br/biblioteca/tesauro-uma-ferramenta-para-a-organizacao-do-conhecimento/ . Accessed on: September 26, 2025.
- UX Collective Brazil. Taxonomy, Ontology and Thesaurus: what is the difference and importance for UX? Available at: https://brasil.uxcollective.com/taxonomia-ontologia-e-tesauro-qual-a-diferen%C3%A7a-e-import%C3%A2ncia-para-ux-c5188f57eb1e . Accessed on: September 26, 2025.




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