(These definitions were prepared by the Joint Committee on Definitions of Terms Relating to Heat Treatment appointed by the American Society for Testing and Materials, The American Society for Metals, the American Foundrymen's Association, and the SAE.) This SAE revision emphasizes the terms used in heat treating ferrous alloys, but also includes for reference some non-ferrous definitions at the end of the document.

This glossary is not intended to be a specification, and it should not be interpreted as such. Since this is intended to be strictly a set of definitions, temperatures have been omitted purposely.