Glossary
Editor Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential editor terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key editor vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in editor training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- AP style
- News writing style.
- Byline
- Writer’s name on a story.
- CMS
- Content management system.
- Copyedit
- Edit for grammar and style.
- Copyright
- Legal ownership of creative work.
- Deadline
- Time work is due.
- Developmental edit
- Big-picture edit.
- Fact-check
- Verify facts.
- Freelance
- Self-employed project work.
- Headline
- Title.
- Lede
- Opening sentence.
- Line edit
- Edit sentences for clarity.
- Masthead
- Staff list.
- Proof
- Final review copy.
- Style guide
- Rules for writing.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Editor practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Editor training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.