FAO pays particular attention to enhance language use and to standardize technical terminology for its meetings, documentation and publications. It also promotes standard best practices for terminology management and storage, facilitating growth, interoperability and exchange.

The general terminology for FAO as a whole is contained in the FAOTERM database, managed by the Language Branch (CSGL).

Several thematic glossaries have been developed in close collaboration with the relevant FAO Technical Divisions. Although these glossaries do not cover each topic in its entirety, they nevertheless present some core concepts of common interest among technical experts and linguists and are jointly maintained by the Language Branch and the interested FAO Technical Divisions.