User:Tom harrison
[edit] The name is not the thing
A dictionary is about words. An encyclopedia is about things. There is some overlap, but in general an article in Wikipedia is about the thing, not the term for the thing. It's fine and informative to tell our readers about word origins and usage. And some articles are indeed about words, so there is no bright line. But in general, it's better to start an article with "A whale is..." rather than "Whale is a term for..." Then in a later paragraph, tell the reader about the etymology of whale. You don't even have to say term. You can write ''whale'' and get it in italics. Then the reader will know you're talking about the word and not the thing.
Related to this is "refers to," which sounds like a convict sidling around the yard, talking out of the corner of his mouth, watching out for the bulls. Or maybe that's just me. Compare:
- In painting, predella refers to the paintings or sculptures running along the frame at the bottom of an altarpiece.
- In painting, the predella is the painting or sculpture along the frame at the bottom of an altarpiece.
Of course it could be worse. Predella could be the term that refers to the paintings.
