AI GLOSSARY · PROMPTING
System prompt
Hidden instructions that set a model’s role and rules before the user’s message.
Example
A support bot’s system prompt might say “Answer only from the FAQ”.
Learn it by doing
Reading a definition is a start; using the idea makes it stick.
Related terms
PROMPTINGPromptThe instructions and context you give an AI model. Clear prompts get more useful, checkable results.PROMPTINGPrompt engineeringThe practice of designing prompts — role, task, context, format and checks — to get reliable results.PROMPTINGZero-shot promptingAsking a model to do a task with no examples, relying on instructions alone.PROMPTINGFew-shot promptingIncluding a few worked examples in the prompt so the model copies the pattern.PROMPTINGChain of thoughtAsking a model to reason step by step, which can improve answers on multi-step problems.PROMPTINGRole promptingTelling the model who to act as, so it adopts suitable knowledge and tone.