About
Our mission, values, and vision for standardizing data terminology across organizations.
Open Data Dictionary is a community-driven platform for standardizing data terminology across organizations. It provides a shared, open vocabulary so that teams, tools, and systems can speak the same language when working with data.
The Problem
Every organization reinvents data definitions. customer_id means different things in different systems. status could be a boolean, an enum, or a free-text field depending on who built the table. Data teams waste hours reconciling terminology before they can even begin analysis.
There is no shared, open standard for data dictionary terms — until now.
Our Beliefs
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Data terminology should be open and shared. Like open-source software, data definitions benefit from community consensus rather than proprietary silos.
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Community-driven standards outlast top-down mandates. Voting, submissions, and peer review produce better definitions than a single authority dictating terms.
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Interoperability starts with shared language. Before systems can talk to each other, teams need to agree on what terms mean. A universal data dictionary is the foundation.
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Machine-readable definitions enable automation. MCP integration, APIs, and structured schemas make definitions actionable — not just documentation sitting in a wiki.
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Accessibility over gatekeeping. Free, open, and usable by anyone — from solo developers to enterprise data teams.
How It Works
Word Lifecycle
- Submit — Anyone can propose a new term with a word name and definition.
- Vote — The community votes on submissions to surface the most useful definitions.
- Review — Admins approve, reject, or request changes based on community input and quality standards.
- Published — Approved terms appear in the public dictionary, searchable by anyone.
What Makes an ODD Entry
Each entry in the Open Data Dictionary includes:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Word | The canonical term name (e.g., customer_id, created_at) |
| Definition | Clear, concise explanation of the term's meaning and usage |
| Data Type | Expected data type (String, Integer, Boolean, Timestamp, etc.) |
| Categories | Industry or domain categories (Finance, Healthcare, E-commerce, etc.) |
| Synonyms | Alternative terms that mean the same thing |
| Status | Lifecycle stage (pending, approved, rejected) |
Integration
- Search the dictionary at /dictionary
- API access for programmatic lookups — see the API Reference
- MCP integration for AI assistants — see the Quick Start
Getting Involved
- Submit terms — Propose new data terminology definitions
- Vote — Help surface the best definitions through community voting
- Use the API — Integrate standardized definitions into your tools and workflows
- Connect via MCP — Let your AI assistant query the dictionary directly