diff --git a/include/nsc.h b/include/nsc.h
index 40183a79..fc750175 100644
--- a/include/nsc.h
+++ b/include/nsc.h
@@ -170,11 +170,11 @@ struct nstr_item {
 };
 
 /*
- * Symbol table definition
+ * Symbol binding: associate NAME with VALUE.
  */
-struct lookup {
-    int key;
-    s_char *value;
+struct symbol {
+    int value;
+    char *name;
 };
 
 /*
@@ -215,14 +215,14 @@ extern struct castr nat_ca[];
 extern struct castr intrchr_ca[];
 extern struct castr rpt_ca[];
 extern struct castr empfile_ca[];
-extern struct castr lookup_ca[];
-extern struct lookup ship_chr_flags[];
-extern struct lookup plane_chr_flags[];
-extern struct lookup land_chr_flags[];
-extern struct lookup nuke_chr_flags[];
+extern struct castr symbol_ca[];
+extern struct symbol ship_chr_flags[];
+extern struct symbol plane_chr_flags[];
+extern struct symbol land_chr_flags[];
+extern struct symbol nuke_chr_flags[];
 extern struct castr mdchr_ca[];
-extern struct lookup meta_type[];
-extern struct lookup meta_flags[];
+extern struct symbol meta_type[];
+extern struct symbol meta_flags[];
 
 /* src/lib/subs/nstr.c */
 extern int nstr_comp(struct nscstr *np, int len, int type, char *str);
diff --git a/src/lib/global/file.c b/src/lib/global/file.c
index 67c011e3..091bd003 100644
--- a/src/lib/global/file.c
+++ b/src/lib/global/file.c
@@ -139,25 +139,25 @@ struct empfile empfile[] = {
      -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)empfile, 0, empfile_ca},
     {EF_SHIP_CHR_FLAGS, "ship chr flags", NULL, EFF_CFG,
      sizeof(ship_chr_flags[0]), NULL, NULL, NULL,
-     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)ship_chr_flags, 0, lookup_ca},
+     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)ship_chr_flags, 0, symbol_ca},
     {EF_PLANE_CHR_FLAGS, "plane chr flags", NULL, EFF_CFG,
      sizeof(plane_chr_flags[0]), NULL, NULL, NULL,
-     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)plane_chr_flags, 0, lookup_ca},
+     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)plane_chr_flags, 0, symbol_ca},
     {EF_LAND_CHR_FLAGS, "land chr flags", NULL, EFF_CFG,
      sizeof(land_chr_flags[0]), NULL, NULL, NULL,
-     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)land_chr_flags, 0, lookup_ca},
+     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)land_chr_flags, 0, symbol_ca},
     {EF_NUKE_CHR_FLAGS, "nuke chr flags", NULL, EFF_CFG,
      sizeof(nuke_chr_flags[0]), NULL, NULL, NULL,
-     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)nuke_chr_flags, 0, lookup_ca},
+     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)nuke_chr_flags, 0, symbol_ca},
     {EF_META, "meta", NULL, EFF_CFG,
      sizeof(mdchr_ca[0]), NULL, NULL, NULL,
      -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)mdchr_ca, 0, mdchr_ca},
     {EF_META_TYPE, "meta type", NULL, EFF_CFG,
      sizeof(meta_type[0]), NULL, NULL, NULL,
-     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)meta_type, 0, lookup_ca},
+     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)meta_type, 0, symbol_ca},
     {EF_META_FLAGS, "meta flags", NULL, EFF_CFG,
      sizeof(meta_flags[0]), NULL, NULL, NULL,
-     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)meta_flags, 0, lookup_ca},
+     -1, -1, 0, 0, (char *)meta_flags, 0, symbol_ca},
 
     /* Sentinel */
     {EF_BAD, NULL, NULL, 0,
diff --git a/src/lib/global/nsc.c b/src/lib/global/nsc.c
index f5f1d8e2..42baa5e1 100644
--- a/src/lib/global/nsc.c
+++ b/src/lib/global/nsc.c
@@ -504,13 +504,13 @@ struct castr empfile_ca[] = {
     {NSC_NOTYPE, 0, 0, 0, NULL, EF_BAD}
 };
 
-struct castr lookup_ca[] = {
-    {NSC_STRING, 0, 0, offsetof(struct lookup, value), "name", EF_BAD},
-    {NSC_INT, 0, 0, offsetof(struct lookup, key), "value", EF_BAD},
+struct castr symbol_ca[] = {
+    {NSC_STRING, 0, 0, offsetof(struct symbol, name), "name", EF_BAD},
+    {NSC_INT, 0, 0, offsetof(struct symbol, value), "value", EF_BAD},
     {NSC_NOTYPE, 0, 0, 0, NULL, EF_BAD}
 };
 
-struct lookup ship_chr_flags[] = {
+struct symbol ship_chr_flags[] = {
     {M_FOOD, "fish"},
     {M_TORP, "torp"},
     {M_DCH, "dchrg"},
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ struct lookup ship_chr_flags[] = {
     {0, 0}
 };
 
-struct lookup land_chr_flags[] = {
+struct symbol land_chr_flags[] = {
     {L_XLIGHT, "xlight"},
     {L_ENGINEER, "engineer"},
     {L_SUPPLY, "supply"},
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ struct lookup land_chr_flags[] = {
     {0, 0}
 };
 
-struct lookup plane_chr_flags[] = {
+struct symbol plane_chr_flags[] = {
     {P_T, "tactical"},
     {P_B, "bomber"},
     {P_F, "intercept"},
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ struct lookup plane_chr_flags[] = {
     {0, 0}
 };
 
-struct lookup nuke_chr_flags[] = {
+struct symbol nuke_chr_flags[] = {
     {N_NEUT, "neutron"},
     {0, 0}
 };
@@ -588,14 +588,14 @@ struct castr mdchr_ca[] = {
     {NSC_NOTYPE, 0, 0, 0, NULL, EF_BAD}
 };
 
-struct lookup meta_flags[] = {
+struct symbol meta_flags[] = {
     {NSC_DEITY, "DEITY"},
     {NSC_EXTRA, "EXTRA"},
     {NSC_CONST, "CONST"},
     {0, ""}
 };
 
-struct lookup meta_type[]  = {
+struct symbol meta_type[]  = {
     {NSC_LONG, "d"},
     {NSC_DOUBLE, "g"},
     {NSC_STRING, "s"},
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/show.c b/src/lib/subs/show.c
index c4e2f1cb..83749cce 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/show.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/show.c
@@ -133,13 +133,13 @@ make_new_list(int tlev, int type)
 }
 
 static char *
-lookup(int key, struct lookup *table)
+lookup(int key, struct symbol *table)
 {
     int i;
 
-    for (i = 0; table[i].value; i++)
-	if (key == table[i].key)
-	    return table[i].value;
+    for (i = 0; table[i].name; i++)
+	if (key == table[i].value)
+	    return table[i].name;
 
     return NULL;
 }