almanac

noun

al·​ma·​nac ˈȯl-mə-ˌnak How to pronounce almanac (audio) ˈal- How to pronounce almanac (audio)
1
: a publication containing astronomical and meteorological data for a given year and often including a miscellany of other information
2
: a usually annual publication containing statistical, tabular, and general information

Examples of almanac in a Sentence

an almanac of town news
Recent Examples on the Web The almanac added that the Pacific Northwest could see cloudy and cool weather at the beginning of the spring season. Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 The almanac predicts cool temps and storms will continue into May. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2024 The James Beard Award-winning chef’s new Afro-Caribbean restaurant, Dogon, will live inside the Salamander D.C. hotel on the Wharf and is inspired by Benjamin Banneker, the Black cartographer, almanac writer and mathematician who helped survey the city of D.C. in the late 18th century. Zoe Glasser, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2024 Rain will hopefully clear in time for the Indy 500, which takes place May 26, the almanac writes. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2024 But Nostradamus was not content to confine his predictions to an almanac. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 25 Dec. 2023 There are actually two competing almanacs: the Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023 Nostradamus’ almanacs were popular and influential. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 25 Dec. 2023 Today, migrants are the producers of an enormous digital almanac of the trek to the United States, documenting the route and its pitfalls in such detail that, in a few stretches, people can find their way on their own, without smugglers. Julie Turkewitz, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'almanac.' 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 almenak, from Medieval Latin almanach, probably from Arabic al-manākh the almanac

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near almanac

Cite this Entry

“Almanac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/almanac. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

almanac

noun
al·​ma·​nac ˈȯl-mə-ˌnak How to pronounce almanac (audio) ˈal- How to pronounce almanac (audio)
: a book containing a calendar of days, weeks, and months and usually facts about the rising and setting of the sun and moon, changes in the tides, and information of general interest

More from Merriam-Webster on almanac

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