SEO
Robots.txt
Plain-language definitionA public file that gives web crawlers rules about which paths they may request. It manages crawling but does not reliably remove a URL from search results.
Why it matters
Use the term to make a better decision.
In practice, robots.txt matters when a team needs to connect a technical or creative choice to a visible change in clarity, performance, discovery, or conversion. The useful question is not whether the term sounds sophisticated. It is what decision it helps the team make.