glossary

[ glos-uh-ree, glaw-suh- ]

/ ˈglɒs ə ri, ˈglɔ sə- /

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See synonyms for: glossary / glossarist on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural glos·sa·ries.

a list of terms in a special subject, field, or area of usage, with accompanying definitions.

such a list at the back of a book, explaining or defining difficult or unusual words and expressions used in the text.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of glossary

1350–1400; Middle English glossarye<Latin glōssarium difficult word requiring explanation <Greek glōssárion, diminutive of glôssa tongue, language; later taken as a collection of such words, by construing suffix as Latin -ārium-ary; cf. gloss²

OTHER WORDS FROM glossary

glos·sar·i·al

[glo-sair-ee-uhl, glaw-], /glɒˈsɛər i əl, glɔ-/, adjectiveglos·sar·i·al·ly, adverbglos·sa·rist, noun

Words nearby glossary

glory-pea, Glos, gloss, glossa, glossal, glossary, glossator, glossectomy, glossematics, glosseme, glosser

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use glossary in a sentence

The document included a glossary of terms to be used to address the LGBTQ and intersex community, and it came from the Madras High Court.
India activists use Independence Day to reiterate call for equality|Ankush Kumar|September 1, 2022|Washington Blade
Bustle parent company BDG’s Inclusivity Guide, created by the company’s Inclusion Council, goes over how to promote diversity “while not being tokenizing,” and also includes a glossary of terms to avoid, according to a spokesperson.
Media Briefing: How publishers with teen audiences are making their Instagram presences more inclusive|Tim Peterson|October 14, 2021|Digiday
The page includes a pandemic glossary, a vaccine explainer and a guide to identifying misinformation.
How science museums reinvented themselves to survive the pandemic|Emily Anthes|June 4, 2021|Science News
If you’re new to the chat and wondering about acronyms, here’s a glossary of frequently-used chat terms.
Carolyn Hax Live (March 12 | 12 p.m. ET)|Carolyn Hax|March 12, 2021|Washington Post

A glossary of what all those strange phrases in classic Christmas songs really mean.
The Most Confusing Christmas Music Lyrics Explained (VIDEO)|Kevin Fallon|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The nine-page glossary in the back of the book is helpful, but only up to a point.
‘The Bone Season’ Could Be the Next ‘Hunger Games,’ But Is It Any Good?|Leila Sales|August 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The downside is that you may read in a perpetual state of glossary-checking and Goodreads-searching.
‘The Bone Season’ Could Be the Next ‘Hunger Games,’ But Is It Any Good?|Leila Sales|August 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The essential glossary here: “Molly” is a slang word for MDMA, a drug often used for date rape; “that” is the date raping.
11 Ways Rappers Are Just Like Right-Wing Radio Hosts|Kevin Fallon|March 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Plus, read an account of an escape from Scientology's Sea Org and a Scientology glossary.
In Tom Cruise Divorce, Scientology Loses Fashion Icons|Rebecca Dana|July 6, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He prepared a glossary of provincial and archological words, intended for a supplement to Johnson's Dictionary.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
It has a complete glossary of terms, and is illustrated with two hundred original drawings.
Practical Mechanics for Boys|J. S. Zerbe
Except for yogh, h-stroke and paired , unusual letters appear only in the editorial material (introduction, notes and glossary).
King Horn, Floriz and Blauncheflur, The Assumption of Our Lady|Various
The preceding examples give most of the more important weak verbs; others can be found in the Glossary.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 6 (of 7) -- Introduction, Glossary, and Indexes|Geoffrey Chaucer
Also, of the pronoun me; as in d m'endyte, G 32; see M' in the Glossary, p. 157.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 6 (of 7) -- Introduction, Glossary, and Indexes|Geoffrey Chaucer

British Dictionary definitions for glossary

glossary

/ (ˈɡlɒsərɪ) /

noun plural -ries

an alphabetical list of terms peculiar to a field of knowledge with definitions or explanationsSometimes called: gloss

Derived forms of glossary

glossarial (ɡlɒˈsɛərɪəl), adjectiveglossarially, adverbglossarist, noun

Word Origin for glossary

C14: from Late Latin glossārium; see gloss ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

glossary

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