glossary
Americannoun
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a list of terms in a special subject, field, or area of usage, with accompanying definitions.
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such a list at the back of a book, explaining or defining difficult or unusual words and expressions used in the text.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
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. gloss 2
Explanation
A glossary is a dictionary of terms specific to a certain subject. A biology textbook might have a glossary in the back, so you can quickly look up all those technical words. Many fields of study use terms that are pretty much restricted to that field of study, so authors often supply a glossary to help people understand what they're talking about. The glossary is often found at the end of a book or article and is usually in alphabetical order. A glossary can also come at the end of a chapter or even in footnotes. If you're just joining the world of Dungeons and Dragons, I recommend you look over the glossary, so you can get a sense of what your fellow gamers are talking about.
Vocabulary lists containing glossary
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Language and Grammar - Introductory
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National Librarian Day
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jason is the author of “Your Money and Your Brain,” on the neuroscience of investing, and "The Devil's Financial Dictionary," a satirical glossary of business jargon.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
When a client asked her a year ago to design a glossary to train an artificial intelligence system, translator Jessica Spengler realised she was going to train her own replacement.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
Here, you’ll find a glossary breaking down what all the ridiculous terms that get batted around when talking about crypto actually mean.
From Slate • Mar. 28, 2025
My editor appreciated the authenticity right from the start, including the nuanced Hawaiian Pidgin English some of my characters speak, and the value-added glossary I provided at the end.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2025
His book begins with a glossary to help the reader make sense of these new words.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
