OBJECTIVES: The establishment of nomenclature is a sign of maturity in any field. Each discipline formally adopts or sanctions the terminology based by its practitioners.

METHODS: Description of the development of chiropractic nomenclature through consensus methodology. A model was designed as an algorithm to outline steps leading to broad geographical and philosophical agreement.

RESULTS: Moving through a regional nominal panel to an international Delphi panel, consensus at the 80% level of agreement was obtained for 10 terms and definitions commonly used by the chiropractic profession.

CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended that the chiropractic profession adopt the 10 terms and definitions that reached the 80% consensus level as part of chiropractic nomenclature.

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