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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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

Glos, gloss, glossa, glossal, glossalgia, glossary, glossator, glossectomy, glossematics, glosseme, glosser

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use glossary in a sentence

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

Origin of glossary

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British Dictionary definitions for glossary

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