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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The warning forecasts sustained surface winds, or frequent gusts, in the range of 34 knots (39 mph) to 47 knots (54 mph), either predicted or occurring, and not directly associated with a tropical cyclone, the NWS glossary explains. Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025 On another page of the menu is a glossary of explanations for ingredients listed in some of the dishes. Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025 To avoid this, look to centralize your transcription process with a unified workflow that includes linguistic QA and terminology glossaries tailored to your firm. Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025 Ocean’s Godori has a glossary written by Maggie, a non-Korean character, who put it together as a guide for those new to the Alliance. Elaine U. Cho august 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for glossary

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

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Cite this Entry

“Glossary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glossary. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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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