Multilingual WordPress websites often use the same brand names, product names, abbreviations, and technical terms across product pages, navigation, checkout content, documentation, and marketing campaigns. When those terms are translated inconsistently, visitors may see different names for the same product or encounter terminology that does not match the site’s established language.
The WPML glossary provides a focused way to manage this terminology. From the WordPress admin, you can define preferred translations, keep selected terms in their original form, and add descriptions that explain how a term should be understood. This is useful for WooCommerce stores, agencies, freelancers, and website owners managing several target languages. The glossary controls specified terms; it does not guarantee perfect translation of every sentence. Full-page review is still important, especially when a word can have more than one meaning.
What the WPML Glossary Solves
WPML terminology management is designed for recurring terms that need consistent treatment. A glossary entry can specify a preferred translation in a target language, preserve a term in its source-language form, and provide context for translators or automatic translation. This makes it possible to document decisions before the same terminology appears across many pages.
Typical candidates include brand names, product names, industry jargon, technical terms, and abbreviations. A store may want a product name to remain unchanged while translating the surrounding description. An agency may prefer one target-language expression for a technical term used in several client sites. The glossary gives these terms a defined place in the translation workflow rather than relying on repeated manual corrections.
Preferred translations and untranslated terms
Preferred translations are useful when a recurring source term should always receive a particular target-language treatment. The alternative is to mark a selected term as not to be translated. Contextual descriptions help clarify the intended use, which is important when the same spelling could be a brand name in one location and an ordinary word or technical expression in another.
Use the glossary as terminology control, not as a replacement for reviewing complete pages. A correct glossary entry can improve the handling of a specified term, but surrounding grammar, sentence meaning, product context, and page quality still require review.
How to Add a WPML Glossary Entry
Glossary entries can be created individually through the WPML glossary interface in the WordPress admin. Because interface labels and menu locations can differ between WPML workflows or versions, use the current path documented for the version and workflow configured on the site. The important part is the entry information, not memorising a menu path that may later change.
Individual entry workflow
- Open the WPML glossary interface from the WordPress admin using the current workflow for the relevant WPML version.
- Add the source term exactly as it appears in the content that will be translated.
- Provide a description that explains the term’s role, meaning, or intended use in context.
- Enter the target-language translation or translations, or select the option that keeps the term untranslated when that is the intended treatment.
- Save the entry and check the term in an actual translation rather than assuming that every possible usage has been covered.
Descriptions are especially valuable for ambiguous terms. Identify whether the entry refers to a brand, a product, a technical expression, or an abbreviation. If a word has different meanings in different contexts, consider whether one glossary rule is appropriate for all uses. A glossary should describe a deliberate terminology decision, not simply collect words without review.
For a larger site, begin with terms that appear frequently or have already caused inconsistent translations. Review the saved entry in representative content, such as a product page and a normal information page, before expanding the rule to the rest of the site.
Keeping Brand and Product Names Untranslated
To protect a brand name or product name, create a glossary entry for that term and select the option to keep it untranslated. This tells the supported translation workflow that the selected term should remain in its source-language form. The same approach can be used for selected technical terms and abbreviations when preserving the original wording is part of the site’s naming convention.
This setting should be applied intentionally. A product name may need protection, while a common noun that resembles the product name may still need translation. Review how the term is used in titles, descriptions, menus, and other content before deciding that one rule should cover every occurrence.
Use descriptions to clarify naming intent
Add a short description that identifies the intended role of the protected term. For example, describe it as a brand name, product name, technical expression, or abbreviation. This context helps distinguish a protected name from an ordinary word with a similar spelling.
The do-not-translate choice applies when the configured translation engine supports the WPML glossary. It should not be treated as a universal instruction for every engine available in WPML. After saving the entry, inspect translations in the languages and content types used by the site, including relevant WooCommerce content where applicable.
WPML Glossary Engine Compatibility
Engine selection and glossary support are related but not identical. WPML documentation identifies several automatic translation engines, while the glossary is supported by a narrower group. This distinction is important when a term appears not to follow a preferred translation or a do-not-translate rule.
Glossary support versus engine availability
According to the documented WPML glossary information, glossary entries are supported by WPML’s Private Translation Cloud, also referred to as PTC, and by DeepL. The same documentation states that Google Translate and Microsoft Translator do not use WPML glossary entries.
| Translation engine | WPML glossary entries |
|---|---|
| Private Translation Cloud (PTC) | Supported according to WPML documentation |
| DeepL | Supported according to WPML documentation |
| Google Translate | Does not use glossary entries according to WPML documentation |
| Microsoft Translator | Does not use glossary entries according to WPML documentation |
Therefore, the fact that an engine is available for automatic translation does not mean that it uses glossary entries. Before troubleshooting terminology, check the configured engine and the current WPML workflow. The documentation and interface may change between product versions, so engine-support claims should be checked against the current workflow used by the site.
Importing and Exporting Glossary Terms
WPML allows glossary terms to be imported from and exported to CSV files. This is useful when an agency or store needs to add many terms, maintain terminology outside the individual-entry screen, or keep a copy before making substantial changes.
A maintainable CSV workflow
- Prepare source terms, descriptions, and target-language treatments for CSV import.
- Review the prepared terms for spelling, intended meaning, duplicate entries, and overlapping wording.
- Import the CSV and check the resulting glossary entries before relying on them across the site.
- Export the current glossary before bulk deletion or major edits, because deleting the glossary removes its entries.
- Keep the exported copy available for comparison and terminology maintenance.
WPML documentation describes a 200-character limit for each glossary entry. Keep entries simple and avoid unnecessary duplicates. Overlapping entries can make maintenance more difficult and may create uncertainty about which terminology decision should apply. CSV import is a practical way to handle volume, but it does not remove the need to review the meaning and scope of each term.
Updating Existing Translations After Glossary Changes
Adding or editing a glossary entry does not automatically rewrite every existing translation in every situation. If a terminology decision changes, use WPML’s function for updating existing translations to refresh affected content. This separates the act of changing the glossary from the process of applying that change to translations that already exist.
Planning a terminology correction
First, edit or add the relevant glossary term and confirm the preferred translation or untranslated setting. Then run the documented update-existing-translations function for eligible content. Review the updated pages afterwards, because a terminology change should be checked in complete sentences and in the content types where the term appears.
WPML documentation states that the standard update process covers translations created in the past 30 days by default. Older translations may require the content to be resent for translation. Depending on the workflow, resending content may use translation credits, so check the current WPML dashboard and the site’s account conditions before starting a broad update.
Plan the correction in stages when the site contains substantial older content. Update eligible translations, identify older content separately, and review representative pages after the change. Do not assume that changing one glossary entry has refreshed every historical occurrence. The exact controls and update coverage may depend on the WPML version and translation workflow in use.
Limitations and Quality-Control Checklist
A glossary is a focused terminology tool, not a guarantee of perfect multilingual content. It can improve control over specified brand, product, and technical terms, but it does not replace review of the full translation. The configured engine also matters: a glossary rule cannot be expected to operate in the same way when the selected engine does not use WPML glossary entries.
Pre-publication glossary checklist
- Confirm the source term and decide whether it needs a preferred translation or should remain untranslated.
- Add a description when the term’s role or meaning could be unclear.
- Check that the configured translation engine supports WPML glossary entries.
- Review representative translations in complete sentences and relevant product or content contexts.
- Look for duplicate and overlapping entries before expanding the glossary.
- Export the glossary before bulk deletion or major maintenance.
- Check the current WPML workflow before applying broad updates to existing translations.
- Review older content separately when it falls outside the documented default update scope.
Pay particular attention to terms that can function as a brand name, common noun, or technical expression. Also remember that the documented engine support does not automatically extend to third-party translation services not covered by the WPML documentation. Treat the glossary as one part of a translation quality-control process.
The WPML glossary helps WordPress and WooCommerce site owners formalise terminology decisions instead of correcting the same names repeatedly. You can add preferred translations, preserve selected brand and product names, maintain entries through CSV files, and update eligible existing translations after a terminology change. The key limitations are equally important: glossary support depends on the configured engine, older translations may need a separate workflow, and full-page review remains necessary. Check the current WPML interface and workflow before making broad changes. Explore our WordPress plugins, WooCommerce extensions, themes and membership plans to find the right tools for your website.