diff --git a/tests/pipeline/test_term.py b/tests/pipeline/test_term.py
index 7d630a01..ef9b8392 100644
--- a/tests/pipeline/test_term.py
+++ b/tests/pipeline/test_term.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from unittest import TestCase
 
 from zipline.errors import (
     DTypeNotSpecified,
-    InputTermNotAtomic,
+    WindowedInputToWindowedTerm,
     NotDType,
     TermInputsNotSpecified,
     UnsupportedDType,
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class DependencyResolutionTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(graph.extra_rows[bar], 4)
         self.assertEqual(graph.extra_rows[buzz], 4)
 
-    def test_reuse_atomic_terms(self):
+    def test_reuse_loadable_terms(self):
         """
         Test that raw inputs only show up in the dependency graph once.
         """
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ class DependencyResolutionTestCase(TestCase):
 
     def test_disallow_recursive_lookback(self):
 
-        with self.assertRaises(InputTermNotAtomic):
+        with self.assertRaises(WindowedInputToWindowedTerm):
             SomeFactor(inputs=[SomeFactor(), SomeDataSet.foo])
 
 
diff --git a/zipline/errors.py b/zipline/errors.py
index 95feb581..7274b4c0 100644
--- a/zipline/errors.py
+++ b/zipline/errors.py
@@ -347,13 +347,17 @@ class WindowLengthNotPositive(ZiplineError):
     ).strip()
 
 
-class InputTermNotAtomic(ZiplineError):
+class WindowedInputToWindowedTerm(ZiplineError):
     """
-    Raised when a non-atomic term is specified as an input to a Pipeline API
-    term with a lookback window.
+    Raised when a windowed Pipeline API term is specified as an input to
+    another windowed term.
+
+    This is an error because it's generally not safe to compose windowed
+    functions on split/dividend adjusted data.
     """
     msg = (
-        "Can't compute {parent} with non-atomic input {child}."
+        "Can't compute windowed expression {parent} with "
+        "windowed input {child}."
     )
 
 
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/classifier.py b/zipline/pipeline/classifier.py
index 16219d58..70b15f05 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/classifier.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/classifier.py
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 classifier.py
 """
 
-from zipline.pipeline.term import CompositeTerm
+from zipline.pipeline.term import ComputableTerm
 
 
-class Classifier(CompositeTerm):
+class Classifier(ComputableTerm):
     pass
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/data/dataset.py b/zipline/pipeline/data/dataset.py
index cf88d1f0..43513fc0 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/data/dataset.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/data/dataset.py
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ from six import (
 )
 
 from zipline.pipeline.term import (
-    Term,
     AssetExists,
+    LoadableTerm,
     NotSpecified,
+    Term,
 )
 from zipline.utils.input_validation import ensure_dtype
 from zipline.utils.numpy_utils import (
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ class _BoundColumnDescr(object):
         )
 
 
-class BoundColumn(Term):
+class BoundColumn(LoadableTerm):
     """
     A column of data that's been concretely bound to a particular dataset.
 
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/engine.py b/zipline/pipeline/engine.py
index 35809c0a..127bb2fe 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/engine.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/engine.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from zipline.errors import NoFurtherDataError
 from zipline.utils.numpy_utils import repeat_first_axis, repeat_last_axis
 from zipline.utils.pandas_utils import explode
 
-from .term import AssetExists
+from .term import AssetExists, LoadableTerm
 
 
 class PipelineEngine(with_metaclass(ABCMeta)):
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class SimplePipelineEngine(object):
     Parameters
     ----------
     get_loader : callable
-        A function that is given an atomic term and returns a PipelineLoader
+        A function that is given a loadable term and returns a PipelineLoader
         to use to retrieve raw data for that term.
     calendar : DatetimeIndex
         Array of dates to consider as trading days when computing a range
@@ -279,12 +279,6 @@ class SimplePipelineEngine(object):
         return out
 
     def get_loader(self, term):
-        # AssetExists is one of the atomic terms in the graph, so we look up
-        # a loader here when grouping by loader, but since it's already in the
-        # workspace, we don't actually use that group.
-        if term is AssetExists():
-            return None
-
         return self._get_loader(term)
 
     def compute_chunk(self, graph, dates, assets, initial_workspace):
@@ -316,14 +310,14 @@ class SimplePipelineEngine(object):
         # Copy the supplied initial workspace so we don't mutate it in place.
         workspace = initial_workspace.copy()
 
-        # If atomic terms share the same loader and extra_rows, load them all
+        # If loadable terms share the same loader and extra_rows, load them all
         # together.
-        atomic_group_key = juxt(get_loader, getitem(graph.extra_rows))
-        atomic_groups = groupby(atomic_group_key, graph.atomic_terms)
+        loader_group_key = juxt(get_loader, getitem(graph.extra_rows))
+        loader_groups = groupby(loader_group_key, graph.loadable_terms)
 
         for term in graph.ordered():
             # `term` may have been supplied in `initial_workspace`, and in the
-            # future we may pre-compute atomic terms coming from the same
+            # future we may pre-compute loadable terms coming from the same
             # dataset.  In either case, we will already have an entry for this
             # term, which we shouldn't re-compute.
             if term in workspace:
@@ -335,9 +329,9 @@ class SimplePipelineEngine(object):
                 term, workspace, graph, dates
             )
 
-            if term.atomic:
+            if isinstance(term, LoadableTerm):
                 to_load = sorted(
-                    atomic_groups[atomic_group_key(term)],
+                    loader_groups[loader_group_key(term)],
                     key=lambda t: t.dataset
                 )
                 loader = get_loader(term)
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/expression.py b/zipline/pipeline/expression.py
index d9b268f2..f61d67db 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/expression.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/expression.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from numpy import (
     inf,
 )
 
-from zipline.pipeline.term import Term, CompositeTerm
+from zipline.pipeline.term import Term, ComputableTerm
 
 
 _VARIABLE_NAME_RE = re.compile("^(x_)([0-9]+)$")
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def is_comparison(op):
     return op in COMPARISONS
 
 
-class NumericalExpression(CompositeTerm):
+class NumericalExpression(ComputableTerm):
     """
     Term binding to a numexpr expression.
 
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/factors/factor.py b/zipline/pipeline/factors/factor.py
index a5d12cf7..a77ac87c 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/factors/factor.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/factors/factor.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from zipline.pipeline.mixins import (
     PositiveWindowLengthMixin,
     SingleInputMixin,
 )
-from zipline.pipeline.term import CompositeTerm, NotSpecified
+from zipline.pipeline.term import ComputableTerm, NotSpecified
 from zipline.pipeline.expression import (
     BadBinaryOperator,
     COMPARISONS,
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ def if_not_float64_tell_caller_to_use_isnull(f):
 FACTOR_DTYPES = frozenset([datetime64ns_dtype, float64_dtype, int64_dtype])
 
 
-class Factor(CompositeTerm):
+class Factor(ComputableTerm):
     """
     Pipeline API expression producing numerically-valued outputs.
     """
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/filters/filter.py b/zipline/pipeline/filters/filter.py
index 70cad3e7..a56ddad2 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/filters/filter.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/filters/filter.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from zipline.pipeline.mixins import (
     PositiveWindowLengthMixin,
     SingleInputMixin,
 )
-from zipline.pipeline.term import CompositeTerm
+from zipline.pipeline.term import ComputableTerm
 from zipline.pipeline.expression import (
     BadBinaryOperator,
     FILTER_BINOPS,
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def unary_operator(op):
     return unary_operator
 
 
-class Filter(CompositeTerm):
+class Filter(ComputableTerm):
     """
     Pipeline API expression producing boolean-valued outputs.
     """
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/graph.py b/zipline/pipeline/graph.py
index af4a8326..6bcbe8c0 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/graph.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/graph.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ from six import itervalues, iteritems
 from zipline.utils.memoize import lazyval
 from zipline.pipeline.visualize import display_graph
 
+from .term import LoadableTerm
+
 
 class CyclicDependency(Exception):
     pass
@@ -163,8 +165,8 @@ class TermGraph(DiGraph):
         return iter(self._ordered)
 
     @lazyval
-    def atomic_terms(self):
-        return tuple(term for term in self if term.atomic)
+    def loadable_terms(self):
+        return tuple(term for term in self if isinstance(term, LoadableTerm))
 
     def _add_to_graph(self, term, parents, extra_rows):
         """
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/buyback_auth.py b/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/buyback_auth.py
index cd83e1d1..44b35c3e 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/buyback_auth.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/buyback_auth.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class BlazeCashBuybackAuthorizationsLoader(BlazeEventsLoader):
     expr : Expr
         The expression representing the data to load.
     resources : dict, optional
-        Mapping from the atomic terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
+        Mapping from the loadable terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
     odo_kwargs : dict, optional
         Extra keyword arguments to pass to odo when executing the expression.
     data_query_time : time, optional
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class BlazeShareBuybackAuthorizationsLoader(BlazeEventsLoader):
     expr : Expr
         The expression representing the data to load.
     resources : dict, optional
-        Mapping from the atomic terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
+        Mapping from the loadable terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
     odo_kwargs : dict, optional
         Extra keyword arguments to pass to odo when executing the expression.
     data_query_time : time, optional
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/core.py b/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/core.py
index 6a97540e..904300a6 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/core.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/core.py
@@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ def bind_expression_to_resources(expr, resources):
     expr : bz.Expr
         The expression to which we want to bind resources.
     resources : dict[bz.Symbol -> any]
-        Mapping from the atomic terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
+        Mapping from the loadable terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
 
     Returns
     -------
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/earnings.py b/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/earnings.py
index 39724e76..17e76c63 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/earnings.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/earnings.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class BlazeEarningsCalendarLoader(BlazeEventsLoader):
     expr : Expr
         The expression representing the data to load.
     resources : dict, optional
-        Mapping from the atomic terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
+        Mapping from the loadable terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
     odo_kwargs : dict, optional
         Extra keyword arguments to pass to odo when executing the expression.
     data_query_time : time, optional
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/events.py b/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/events.py
index 93ed6b72..326c97ad 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/events.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/loaders/blaze/events.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class BlazeEventsLoader(PipelineLoader):
     expr : Expr
         The expression representing the data to load.
     resources : dict, optional
-        Mapping from the atomic terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
+        Mapping from the loadable terms of ``expr`` to actual data resources.
     odo_kwargs : dict, optional
         Extra keyword arguments to pass to odo when executing the expression.
     data_query_time : time, optional
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/term.py b/zipline/pipeline/term.py
index 3cb9cc63..46de7e3a 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/term.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/term.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from numpy import dtype as dtype_class
 from six import with_metaclass
 from zipline.errors import (
     DTypeNotSpecified,
-    InputTermNotAtomic,
+    WindowedInputToWindowedTerm,
     NotDType,
     TermInputsNotSpecified,
     UnsupportedDType,
@@ -268,27 +268,33 @@ class Term(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
     @abstractproperty
     def inputs(self):
         """
-        A tuple of other Terms that this Term requires for computation.
+        A tuple of other Terms needed as direct inputs for this Term.
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError()
+        raise NotImplementedError('inputs')
+
+    @abstractproperty
+    def windowed(self):
+        """
+        Boolean indicating whether this term is a trailing-window computation.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError('windowed')
 
     @abstractproperty
     def mask(self):
         """
-        A 2D Filter representing asset/date pairs to include while
+        A Filter representing asset/date pairs to include while
         computing this Term. (True means include; False means exclude.)
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError()
+        raise NotImplementedError('mask')
 
     @lazyval
     def dependencies(self):
+        """
+        A tuple containing all terms that must be computed before this term can
+        be loaded or computed.
+        """
         return self.inputs + (self.mask,)
 
-    @lazyval
-    def atomic(self):
-        return not any(dep for dep in self.dependencies
-                       if dep is not AssetExists())
-
 
 class AssetExists(Term):
     """
@@ -310,12 +316,29 @@ class AssetExists(Term):
     inputs = ()
     dependencies = ()
     mask = None
+    windowed = False
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return "AssetExists()"
 
 
-class CompositeTerm(Term):
+class LoadableTerm(Term):
+    """
+    A Term that should be loaded from an external resource by a PipelineLoader.
+
+    This is the base class for :class:`zipline.pipeline.data.BoundColumn`.
+    """
+    inputs = ()
+    windowed = False
+
+
+class ComputableTerm(Term):
+    """
+    A Term that should be computed from a tuple of inputs.
+
+    This is the base class for :class:`zipline.pipeline.Factor`,
+    :class:`zipline.pipeline.Filter`, and :class:`zipline.pipeline.Factor`.
+    """
     inputs = NotSpecified
     window_length = NotSpecified
     mask = NotSpecified
@@ -344,20 +367,24 @@ class CompositeTerm(Term):
         if window_length is NotSpecified:
             window_length = cls.window_length
 
-        return super(CompositeTerm, cls).__new__(cls, inputs=inputs, mask=mask,
-                                                 window_length=window_length,
-                                                 *args, **kwargs)
+        return super(ComputableTerm, cls).__new__(
+            cls,
+            inputs=inputs,
+            mask=mask,
+            window_length=window_length,
+            *args, **kwargs
+        )
 
     def _init(self, inputs, window_length, mask, *args, **kwargs):
         self.inputs = inputs
         self.window_length = window_length
         self.mask = mask
-        return super(CompositeTerm, self)._init(*args, **kwargs)
+        return super(ComputableTerm, self)._init(*args, **kwargs)
 
     @classmethod
     def static_identity(cls, inputs, window_length, mask, *args, **kwargs):
         return (
-            super(CompositeTerm, cls).static_identity(*args, **kwargs),
+            super(ComputableTerm, cls).static_identity(*args, **kwargs),
             inputs,
             window_length,
             mask,
@@ -378,16 +405,18 @@ class CompositeTerm(Term):
 
         if self.window_length:
             for child in self.inputs:
-                if not child.atomic:
-                    raise InputTermNotAtomic(parent=self, child=child)
+                if child.windowed:
+                    raise WindowedInputToWindowedTerm(parent=self, child=child)
 
-        return super(CompositeTerm, self)._validate()
+        return super(ComputableTerm, self)._validate()
 
     def _compute(self, inputs, dates, assets, mask):
         """
         Subclasses should implement this to perform actual computation.
-        This is `_compute` rather than just `compute` because `compute` is
-        reserved for user-supplied functions in CustomFactor.
+
+        This is named ``_compute`` rather than just ``compute`` because
+        ``compute`` is reserved for user-supplied functions in
+        CustomFilter/CustomFactor/CustomClassifier.
         """
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
diff --git a/zipline/pipeline/visualize.py b/zipline/pipeline/visualize.py
index c9697edf..9e1c0f95 100644
--- a/zipline/pipeline/visualize.py
+++ b/zipline/pipeline/visualize.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def _render(g, out, format_, include_asset_exists=False):
     graph_attrs = {'rankdir': 'TB', 'splines': 'ortho'}
     cluster_attrs = {'style': 'filled', 'color': 'lightgoldenrod1'}
 
-    in_nodes = g.atomic_terms
+    in_nodes = g.loadable_terms
     out_nodes = list(g.outputs.values())
 
     f = BytesIO()