almanac

American  

[awl-muh-nak] / ˈɔl məˌnæk /

noun

1. 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.

2. a publication containing astronomical or meteorological information, usually including future positions of celestial objects, star magnitudes, and culmination dates of constellations.

3. an annual reference book of useful and interesting facts relating to countries of the world, sports, entertainment, etc.

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almanac British  

/ ˈɔːlməˌnæk /

noun

1. Also (archaic): almanack.  a yearly calendar giving statistical information on events and phenomena, such as the phases of the moon, times of sunrise and sunset, tides, anniversaries, etc

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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.

Example Sentences

Sporadic dialogue, like a wedding speech and a game show segment, is intended to represent an almanac of data, submitted by paying members of the public, that creates “the definition” of humanity.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2024

The catalogs are listed in alphabetical order and none are produced by the venerable almanac, which was founded in 1792.

From Washington Times • Dec. 28, 2023

And although this almanac doesn’t cite the moon’s influence on weather, it does rely on solar activity, as well as climatology and meteorology.

From Scientific American • Nov. 10, 2023

The oldest southern resident, a female known as L25, is estimated to have been born in 1928 — her body a living almanac of nearly a century of humanity’s runoff.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 19, 2023

“Hear, hear,” Lord Ashton said absently; he was busy thumbing through the almanac.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• calendar
• journal
• yearbook