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Which feature of a library catalogue indicates the content of a book?

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content

¹ American  

[kon-tent] / ˈkɒn tɛnt /

noun

1. 

   Usually contents.

   1. something that is contained.

      the contents of a box.

   2. the subjects or topics covered in a book or document.

   3. the chapters or other formal divisions of a book or document.

      a table of contents.

2. something that is to be expressed through some medium, as speech, writing, or any of various arts.

   a poetic form adequate to a poetic content.

3. significance or profundity; meaning.

   a clever play that lacks content.

4. substantive information or creative material viewed in contrast to its actual or potential manner of presentation.

   publishers, record companies, and other content providers; a flashy website, but without much content.

5. that which may be perceived in something.

   the latent versus the manifest content of a dream.

6. Philosophy, Logic. the sum of the attributes or notions comprised in a given conception; the substance or matter of cognition.

7. power of containing; holding capacity.

   The bowl's content is three quarts.

8. volume, area, or extent; size.

9. the amount contained.

10. Linguistics. the system of meanings or semantic values specific to a language (opposed to expression).

11. 1. Mathematics. the greatest common divisor of all the coefficients of a given polynomial.

    2. any abstraction of the concept of length, area, or volume.

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content ² American  

[kuhn-tent] / kənˈtɛnt /

adjective

1. satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.

2. British. agreeing; assenting.

3. Archaic. willing.

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verb (used with object)

• contents,
  present (3rd person singular)
• contented,
  past participle,  past
• contenting
  present participle

1. to make content.

   These things content me.

   Synonyms:

   gratify, appease

   Antonyms:

   dissatisfy

noun

1. the state or feeling of being contented; satisfaction; contentment.

   His content was threatened.

2. (in the British House of Lords) an affirmative vote or voter.

content ¹ British  

/ ˈkɒntɛnt /

noun

1. (often plural) everything that is inside a container

   the contents of a box

2. (usually plural)

   1. the chapters or divisions of a book

   2. a list, printed at the front of a book, of chapters or divisions together with the number of the first page of each

3. the meaning or significance of a poem, painting, or other work of art, as distinguished from its style or form

4. all that is contained or dealt with in a discussion, piece of writing, etc; substance

5. the capacity or size of a thing

6. the proportion of a substance contained in an alloy, mixture, etc

   the lead content of petrol

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content ² British  

/ kənˈtɛnt /

adjective

1. mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are

2. assenting to or willing to accept circumstances, a proposed course of action, etc

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verb

1. (tr) to make (oneself or another person) content or satisfied

   to content oneself with property

noun

1. peace of mind; mental or emotional satisfaction

interjection

1. (in the House of Lords) a formal expression of assent, as opposed to the expression not content

content Idioms  

1. see to one's heart's content.

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Synonym Usage

See satisfy.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• contentment
  noun
• contentness
  noun
• contentable
  adjective
• contently
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• contenting
  present
• contented
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• content
  simple
• contents
  simple
• have contented
  perfect
• has contented
  perfect
• am contenting
  progressive
• are contenting
  progressive
• is contenting
  progressive
• have been contenting
  perfect progressive
• has been contenting
  perfect progressive

Past

• contented
  simple
• had contented
  perfect
• was contenting
  progressive
• were contenting
  progressive
• had been contenting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will content
  simple
• will have contented
  perfect
• will be contenting
  progressive
• will have been contenting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of content¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Medieval Latin contentum, noun use of neuter of Latin contentus (past participle of continēre “to contain”), equivalent to con- “with, together” + ten- “hold” + -tus past participle suffix; see con-

Origin of content²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin contentus “satisfied,” special use of past participle of continēre; see content ¹

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Explanation

If you feel content, you're satisfied and happy. The content of a book, movie, or song is what it's about: the topic. This word has two main meanings. The first has to do with being pleased and satisfied (feeling content) or making someone else feel happy and at peace with things (contenting them). The other meaning has to do with subject matter: the content of a history class might be American history. The content of a math class might be geometry. As long as there's a topic or subject, there's content.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

content contents contented contenting

Cosm, which first drew attention for presenting live sports, shares its content among all its locations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026

News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, has a commercial agreement to supply content on Google platforms and a content-licensing partnership with OpenAI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026

It has also highlighted the challenges facing libraries and publishers in checking the authenticity of books as AI-generated content becomes more widespread.

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2026

The authors are solely responsible for the content, which does not necessarily reflect the views of the funding organizations.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 11, 2026

Considering its content, the signature on this derogatory letter is outrageous, “With love, truly your friend, Margaret Fox.”

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

The sublingual strips’ foil packet read “Warning: For research use only” in tiny print on the back, an indication the contents are meant for lab study only and haven’t been vetted for human consumption.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026

AFP was unable to verify the contents of the profile, or who had written it, but has attempted to contact the companies cited.

From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026

“They are heading to your airport,” the email read, according to a person familiar with its contents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026

El-Sayed said his campaign had no involvement with the advertisement and explicitly rejected its contents Saturday.

From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026

The store, and all its contents, no longer belonged to our family.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Many fans have blamed her relationship with Kelce, suggesting that the couple’s contented monogamy means Swift has lost her edge as the queen of heartbreak songs.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

More Europeans are wondering how contented they truly are.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

And it is not hard to find contented heat pump customers.

From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2026

Ms. Maura plays Maria Ángeles, a contented widow who is a much-respected resident of the ethnically Spanish enclave in Tangier, Morocco.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026

In the lower bunk, Audrey was snoring, a low, contented hum that invited me to do the same.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Verstappen has reeled off four consecutive podium finishes and won three of the last four Austin races, only missing out last year when Ferrari claimed a one-two, contenting himself instead with a sprint race win.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025

By 2020, Zawahiri had become increasingly distant, contenting himself to write books and essays and only rarely appearing on video.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 1, 2022

He’s been playing it safe in Brooklyn, contenting himself with his Ma, his girlfriend and a modest managerial job at Starbucks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2020

Seattle started the year with expectations of contenting in the AL West and reaching the postseason, but instead finished in fourth place in the division.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 10, 2015

And I don't mind telling you, too, that she had been making me have considerable of a hard time of it, too; and there warn't no way of contenting her, she was so all-fired pernicketty.

From Vignettes of Manhattan; Outlines in Local Color by Brander Matthews

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Related Words

• comfortable
• contented
• fulfilled
• gratified
• happy
• pleased
• satisfied
• willing

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