title: What is a lookup table?
body: <p>I just gave a database diagram for a DB I created to our head database person, and she put a bunch of notes on it suggesting that I rename certain tables so it is clear they are lookup tables (add &quot;lu&quot; to the beginning of the table name).</p>
  <p>My problem is that these don't fit the definition of what I consider a lookup table to be.  I have always considered a lookup table to basically be a set of options that don't define any relationships. Example:</p>
  <pre><code>luCarMake
  -----------
  id    Make
  --    ---------
  1     Audi
  2     Chevy
  3     Ford
  </code></pre>
  <p>The database person at my work is suggesting that I rename several tables that are just IDs mapping one table to another as lookup tables. Example (Location_QuadMap below):</p>
  <pre><code>Location
  ----------
  LocationId
  name
  description
  
  Location_QuadMap &lt;-- suggesting I rename this to luLocationQuad
  ----------------
  QuadMapId
  LocationId
  
  luQuadMap
  ---------
  QuadMapId
  QuadMapName
  </code></pre>
  <p>Is it safe to assume that she misread the diagram, or is there another definition that I am not aware of?</p>