almanac
Americannoun
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an annual publication containing a calendar for the coming year, the times of such events and phenomena as anniversaries, sunrises and sunsets, phases of the moon, tides, etc., and other statistical information and related topics.
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a publication containing astronomical or meteorological information, usually including future positions of celestial objects, star magnitudes, and culmination dates of constellations.
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an annual reference book of useful and interesting facts relating to countries of the world, sports, entertainment, etc.
noun
Etymology
Origin of almanac
1350–1400; Middle English almenak < Medieval Latin almanach < Spanish Arabic al the + manākh calendar < ?
Explanation
An almanac is an annual publication devoted to the facts and statistics of a given subject. You might consult a sports almanac for the coming year's scheduled games, or information on your favorite (or least favorite) player. The background of the noun almanac is somewhat hazy, with some suggesting it came from the Greek almenichiakon and others suggesting it came from the Spanish-Arabic al-manakh, both meaning "calendar." The astronomical almanac was once a book of permanent tables, with the annual version appearing in the 16th Century. Perhaps the most famous almanacs were Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac, and the Farmer's Almanac, published continuously since 1792, which offers weather predictions as well as astronomical tables and gardening tips.
Vocabulary lists containing almanac
National Librarian Day
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My Brother Sam is Dead
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Selecting and Evaluating Sources and Research Report
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The “weak spot” of the four-year presidential cycle tends to fall in the second and third quarters of midterm-election years, or roughly from April through September, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac.
From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026
The “weak spot” of the four-year presidential cycle tends to fall in the second and third quarters of midterm-election years, or roughly from April through September, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac.
From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026
California certainly has had the rainfall — it’s been the second wettest season through January that L.A. has seen in 21 years, according to the Los Angeles Almanac.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026
The deal will unite the two largest brokerages in the U.S. by sales volume, according to 2024 data assembled by the Real Estate Almanac.
From Barron's • Jan. 7, 2026
Uncle Willie was engrossed in the Almanac, his nightly reading, and my brother was far away on a raft on the Mississippi.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
