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For an official U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) or joint military term, start with the Joint Staff’s DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. If the term is absent or its meaning depends on a particular policy or doctrine, check the DoD Terminology Repository and the document where you encountered it. The full Dictionary is listed on JEL+, a portal that requires a Common Access Card (CAC).
What the DoD Dictionary covers
The DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms is the starting reference for standard U.S. military terminology used in joint doctrine, along with associated terminology used to fill policy gaps. The Joint Staff describes the Dictionary as reflecting general and universal terms found in joint-publication glossaries. It is a U.S. DoD and joint-force reference, not a glossary of every military’s vocabulary. Joint Doctrine Library
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The DoD Terminology Program coordinates, standardizes, and disseminates military and associated terminology to improve communication within DoD, with other federal agencies, and with international partners. The Dictionary and the wider Terminology Repository serve related but distinct purposes.
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Where to look up a military term
- Search the DoD Dictionary. Look for the term and any recognized variant. It is the first stop for general and universal joint terminology.
- Check the DoD Terminology Repository. If the Dictionary does not include the term, or you need a more specific or technical usage, consult the Repository. It provides awareness of terminology in official Office of the Secretary of Defense and Joint Staff issuances. The Joint Staff’s DoD Terminology Program lists the full Dictionary on JEL+ and marks access as CAC-required.
- Read the originating document. Open the doctrine, policy, plan, or other official publication where you saw the term. A document may define or use a term within a particular scope; that context matters even when a broader definition exists.
- Use a general English dictionary for ordinary-language context. Consult one after checking official terminology resources, not as a substitute for them.
What if you cannot access JEL+?
The full Dictionary is listed through JEL+, which requires CAC access. Readers without a CAC may be able to find relevant terminology in unclassified source publications or other public glossaries, but an unrestricted, current public mirror of the full Dictionary is not established here. Treat a publicly accessible definition as a useful lead, and verify it against JEL+ or the official document when access is available.
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Why a term may not have one universal DoD definition
Not every service-specific expression, informal slang term, or context-dependent use has a universal joint definition. A term missing from the Dictionary may still appear in the Repository or have a particular meaning in the official publication where it is used. For policy, strategy, plans, rules, doctrine, or assessments, the Joint Staff advises authors to consult official terminology resources before proposing or refining terminology.
Joint doctrine is official advice, but the Joint Doctrine Library notes that “the judgment of the commander is paramount in all situations.” A dictionary entry can clarify standardized usage; it does not replace the source document or the judgment required in a specific situation. Joint Doctrine Library
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Check the edition before citing a definition
Dictionary editions and amendment dates can change. Search-indexed Joint Staff results have displayed both “May 2025” and “December 2025” labels, but the latest complete edition as of October 5, 2026, is not established here. Check the edition or amendment date shown in JEL+ and include it when a version-specific definition matters. Avoid citing a date based only on an older search result.
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- 2020 New Edition
- 60,000 Dictionary entries
- 13,600 Thesaurus entries
- Hundreds of words and senses added across a variety of fields
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