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bibliography

n.
US //ˌbɪbɫiˈɑɡɹəfi// UK //bˌɪblɪˈɒɡɹəfi// bib·li·og·ra·phy
  1. 1 list of sources in a text (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    a list at the end of a book or essay that shows all the sources the author used.

    a list of citations for works referred to within a text, typically appearing as an appendix.

    Example

    Check the bibliography at the back of the book to find the original study.

    Example

    The professor reminded the students that an incomplete bibliography would result in a lower grade for their research papers.

    Usage

    Usually appears at the end of a formal document or academic paper.
  2. 2 list of works on a subject (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    a complete list of books or articles about a specific person or topic.

    a comprehensive list of documents or publications relating to a particular subject, author, or period.

    Example

    The library has a detailed bibliography of every book written about the local history.

    Example

    The scholar spent years compiling a definitive bibliography of seventeenth-century medical texts found in European archives.
  3. 3 the study of books (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Academic Technical

    the scientific study of how books are made, printed, and published.

    the academic study of books as physical objects, including their history, printing, and classification.

    Example

    He decided to take a course in bibliography to learn how old books were printed.

    Example

    Advanced research in bibliography allows historians to identify the specific printing press used for early editions of Shakespeare's plays.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the field of study.
    • book history
Origin

From Ancient Greek βιβλιογραφία (bibliographía, “the act or habit of writing books”), from βιβλιογράφος (bibliográphos, “a writer of books”), from βιβλίον (biblíon, “small book”) + γράφω (gráphō, “I write”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Last updated June 20, 2026