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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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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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.
England were "feckless, reckless and legless" on their dismal Ashes tour of Australia, according to the editor of the prestigious Wisden Almanack.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
As described by Michael Broggie in the 2005 book “Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger,” Munger’s family fared comparatively well during the Great Depression.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 28, 2023
Over the years, lines from "Poor Richard's Almanack," which was an annual publication edited by Franklin until 1757, have been mentioned everywhere, from T-shirts to TV shows.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2022
I think I saw a Wisden Almanack or two in his kit bag as well, and one of my long reads.
From The Guardian • May 22, 2021
I have a Farmer's Almanack that tells the longest day of the year, June 12.
From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien
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.
