[lispm]

'syntax' is actually a useful term in this context. But this syntax works on token tree data. The token trees is the code as s-expression data.

The Lisp syntax then is defined for these token trees.

For example the syntax for an argument list in Common Lisp is defined with an EBNF syntax description form:

  lambda-list::= (var* 
                  [&optional {var | (var [init-form [supplied-p-parameter]])}*] 
                  [&rest var] 
                  [&key {var | ({var | (keyword-name var)} [init-form [supplied-p-parameter]])}* [&allow-other-keys]] 
                  [&aux {var | (var [init-form])}*])