almanac

American  

[awl-muh-nak] / ˈɔl məˌnæk /

noun

almanacs plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• almanacs
  plural

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

See Examples For:

almanac almanacs

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

Although neither almanac will share the details of its formula, both are open about what goes into their predictions.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 10, 2023

It’s a lot easier to type “when is the next full moon” into Google than to whip out a dusty almanac or follow Instagram influencers that make learning about your natal chart fun.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 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

Impulsively, she flipped open the almanac to the appropriate diagram.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

They read popular almanacs, and learned and admired the intricacies of orreries—mechanical models of the celestial sphere—that they flocked to view at numerous colleges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025

But the distinction is perhaps becoming fuzzier as the almanacs face the rise of seasonal forecasts produced directly by weather forecasting companies and governmental agencies.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 10, 2023

Astrology endured only in the publication of monthly or annual almanacs.

From National Geographic ● Aug. 24, 2023

Those who need some calming reading at this point in time should consider The Old Farmer’s Almanac — which informs the Beltway that the brand new 2023 almanacs are “shipping now.”

From Washington Times ● May 1, 2023

Once Cora had gleaned what she could from the yellowed pamphlets, she started on the old almanacs, with their projections and ruminations about the tides and stars, and bits of obscure commentary.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

Related Words

• calendar
• journal
• yearbook