term of art

noun

1. a word or phrase that has a specific or precise meaning within a given discipline or field and might have a different meaning in common usage:

   Set is a term of art used by mathematicians, and burden of proof is a term of art used by lawyers.

Example Sentences

And, using a term of art in criminal law, did he act with a “willful disregard for the safety of others”?

From New York Times

But from analyzing a “treasure trove” of documents that were produced at the time of the founding, the researchers learned that the phrase “officer of the United States” was not being used as a term of art.

From Salon

“The term ‘officer of the United States’ in the 1789 Constitution is not a term of art,” Heilpern said.

From Salon

“First, several scholars have argued that the term ‘officer of the United States’ is a term of art.

From Salon

No matter the source, among the New York tree workers they’re effing trees, though the actual term of art here is unsurprisingly earthier.

From Los Angeles Times