The aim of the International Lighting Vocabulary (ILV) is to promote international standardization in the use of quantities, units, symbols and terminology related to the science and art of light and lighting, colour and vision, metrology of optical radiation over the ultraviolet, visible and infrared region, photobiology and photochemistry, and image technology. This vocabulary provides the definitions and essential information necessary for the understanding and correct usage of the terms included. It does not give extensive detail or explanations of the application of these terms; such information, relevant for experts in each specialized field, is available in the Technical Reports and International Standards produced by the CIE.

The first edition of the ILV was published in 1938, the latest, the first edition of CIE S 017, in 2011. In 2015 CIE JTC 8 was established and received the task to address any issues regarding terms and definitions related to the ILV. This includes coordination within CIE Divisions to maintain and update the ILV, coordination with the IEC on questions related to the incorporation of ILV terms and definitions into IEC 60050-845 "International Electrotechnical Vocabulary. Lighting", coordination with ISO/TC 12 on questions related to the incorporation of ILV terms and definitions into ISO 80000-7 "Quantities and units ? Part 7: Light and radiation", and any further terminology issues within CIE.

This new edition of the ILV is the result of intensive work carried out by CIE JTC 8 in order to harmonize the content of the ILV in its version of 2011 (published as CIE S 017:2011) with the content of the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV), subject area "Lighting" (IEC 60050-845), considering the rules for drafting definitions as given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2. In addition parallel work in ISO/TC 12/WG 19 (Revision ISO 80000, all parts) was considered in the harmonization process.