ENGLISH
REFERENCE

abecedary

n.
C2 Proficiency abecedary Archaic

n. a list of letters in the order of the alphabet. It is an old word for something that teaches you how to read.

n. a list of letters in alphabetical order; a primer or elementary treatise on reading. Often used in historical or literary contexts to describe early educational texts.


SIMPLE

The old book was a simple abecedary for young children.

CONTEXTUAL

Scholars discovered a fragment of an abecedary written in the local script on a clay tablet.

COMPLEX

The manuscript served as both an abecedary and a rudimentary grammar guide, illustrating the transition from basic literacy to more complex linguistic study in the region.

Etymology 1

From Middle English abscedary, from Medieval Latin abecedārium (“alphabet, ABC primer”), from Late Latin abecedārius (“of the alphabet”), formed from the first four letters of the Latin alphabet + -ārius. Doublet of abecedarium.

Etymology 2

From Late Latin abecedārius. Doublet of abecedarius.

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