glossary

noun

glos·​sa·​ry ˈglä-sə-rē How to pronounce glossary (audio)
ˈglȯ-
plural glossaries
: a collection of textual glosses or of specialized terms with their meanings
glossarial adjective

Examples of glossary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The term ‘bootylicious’ became so popular that in 2004, the Oxford English Dictionary added the word to their glossary. Goldie Chan, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Parents will appreciate that there’s a glossary of Korean words and a pronunciation guide included in the book. Marsha Takeda-Morrison, Parents, 6 Feb. 2024 His dissertation eloquently explains popping, locking, rocking, footwork, and freezes, and is required reading for anyone who’s curious about the origins of hip-hop or wants to follow Fabel’s glossary. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2023 An expression that starts out as a subversive absurdity — what could be more absurd than supplanting equality, our core commitment, with equity, its opposite? — becomes part of a mandatory, exhaustive (and exhausting) glossary. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023 Reviewing a glossary of negotiating terms is a great starting point. Kate Vitasek, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 In addition, the book also has a glossary at the end, which includes a summary of each of the books depicted. Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 5 Oct. 2023 Opening with a thorough glossary and introduction into terminology, the book invites readers to truly listen and learn without judgment. Brea Baker, ELLE, 18 Aug. 2023 Let The Times help, with this handy glossary for all things Bey. ‘Barbie’ becomes highest-grossing movie of 2023 as ‘Gran Turismo’ zooms to No. 1 at the box office. Karim Doumar, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glossary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English glosarie, borrowed from Medieval Latin glōsārium, glōssārium, from glōsa, glōssa gloss entry 3 + Latin -ārium -ary entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of glossary was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near glossary

Cite this Entry

“Glossary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glossary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

glossary

noun
glos·​sa·​ry ˈgläs-(ə-)rē How to pronounce glossary (audio)
ˈglȯs-
plural glossaries
1
: a list of the hard or unusual words found in a book
2
: a dictionary of the special terms in a particular field
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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