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library

American  

[lahy-brer-ee, -bruh-ree, -bree] / ˈlaɪˌbrɛr i, -brə ri, -bri /

noun

• libraries
  plural

1. a place set apart to contain books, periodicals, and other material for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference, as a room, set of rooms, or building where books may be read or borrowed.

2. a public body organizing and maintaining such an establishment.

3. a collection of manuscripts, publications, and other materials for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference.

4. a collection of any materials for study and enjoyment, as films, musical recordings, or maps.

5. a commercial establishment lending books for a fixed charge; a lending library.

6. a series of books of similar character or alike in size, binding, etc., issued by a single publishing house.

7. Biology. a collection of standard materials or formulations by which specimens are identified.

8. canon.

9. Computers. a collection of software or data usually reflecting a specific theme or application.

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library British  

/ ˈlaɪbrərɪ /

noun

1. a room or set of rooms where books and other literary materials are kept

2. a collection of literary materials, films, CDs, children's toys, etc, kept for borrowing or reference

3. the building or institution that houses such a collection

   a public library

4. a set of books published as a series, often in a similar format

5. computing a collection of standard programs and subroutines for immediate use, usually stored on disk or some other storage device

6. a collection of specific items for reference or checking against

   a library of genetic material

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Pronunciation

Library, with one r -sound following close upon another, is particularly vulnerable to the process of dissimilation—the tendency for neighboring like sounds to become unlike, or for one of them to disappear altogether. The pronunciation , therefore, while still the most common, is frequently reduced by educated speakers, both in the U.S. and in England, to the dissimilated or . A third dissimilated form is more likely to be heard from less educated or very young speakers, and is often criticized. See colonel, February, governor.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interlibrary
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• libraries
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of library

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English libraire, from Middle French librairie, from Medieval Latin librāria, noun use of feminine of Latin librārius (adjective) “of books,” from libr-, stem of liber “book” + -ārius -ary

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Explanation

A library is a place where collections of books are kept. If you ever want a reminder of how very much there is to learn in this world, pay a visit to your local library. The noun library, meaning, “a room or building where books are housed,” comes from the Latin librarium “chest for books.” That, in turn, evolved from the Latin liber, a word meaning “book, paper, parchment,” and, more literally, “the inner bark of trees.” The writer Jorge Luis Borges said, “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” What would your vision of paradise look like?

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

library libraries

"We have a number of different things in what we call the library, things that we've written before," he added.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

We paint our current selves onto the kids we grew up with, so the bookworm remembers a childhood crowded with library lovers, and today’s teenagers are contrasted with classmates who never existed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Dr Nicole Holt, who runs the phone box library in Chartham, told the BBC: "They are really good for accessibility, they're free and are available to absolutely everybody."

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Marvel Unlimited members who sign up for Marvel Comics will be able to import their current library and reading history into the new app once it’s launched.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

“What if there are words? Like, the name of the hotel? Do you think this library has a magnifying glass?”

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Some of the decommissioned boxes are repurposed as mini libraries or coffee kiosks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

People across the UK have been invited to nominate their local red phone box libraries for the books to help the campaign's organisers "uncover more hidden gems".

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Free books for 150 red phone box libraries are being made available to celebrate 100 years of two British legends - Winnie-the-Pooh and the K2 red phone box.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Madigan will oversee 18 schools and academic units along with student life, libraries and enrollment services.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026

How many high school libraries are even allowed to stock Theodore Sturgeon, or all of Robert Heinlein?

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

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