From Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.1 ( 2004-02-04) An unparsed entity is a resource whose contents may or may not be text, and if text, may be other than XML. Each unparsed entity has an associated notation, identified by name. Beyond a requirement that an XML processor make the identifiers for the entity and notation available to the application, XML places no constraints on the contents of unparsed entities.

a container whose contents may or may not be text

a resource the contents of which may or may not be text, and if text, may be other than XML

a resource upon which XML places no constraints

general entity that contains something other than XML. By its nature, then, an unparsed entity contains binary data.

Any block of non-XML data, sometimes referred to as a binary entity because its content is often a binary file (such as an image) that is not directly interpreted by the XML parser. An unparsed entity could contain plain text, so the term binary is a bit misleading. Unlike a parsed entity, an unparsed entity requires a notation, which identifies the format or type of resource to which the entity is declared. Beyond a requirement that an XML parser make the identifiers for the entity and notation available to the application, XML places no constraints on the contents of unparsed entities.

An external resource referred to by entity reference whose contents may be binary data or text (including non-XML text). Each unparsed entity has a notation associated with it.