English Reference
Noun

glossary

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈɡɫɔsɝi/ UK /ɡlˈɒsəɹi/ glos·sary UK spelling glossaries, glossary's

n.a list of special or difficult words and their meanings, usually found at the back of a book. You use it to quickly check the definition of a term you do not know.

n.an alphabetical list of terms relating to a specific subject, text, or dialect, accompanied by explanations. Often located in the back matter of a technical or academic publication.


SIMPLE

Check the glossary at the back of the book for the definition.

CONTEXTUAL

The textbook includes a comprehensive glossary to help students master the complex terminology used in each chapter.

COMPLEX

While the main text avoids jargon, the author provided an extensive glossary to ensure that readers could reference the precise legal definitions of the terms discussed.

Usage

Typically takes the preposition 'of' when specifying the subject matter ('a glossary of medical terms').

To support readers who might not be familiar with te reo Māori, Waerea provided a glossary of Māori phrases translated into English.

Phys.org· 2 Sept 2026

From Middle English glosarie, from Latin glossārium, from Ancient Greek γλῶσσα (glôssa, “tongue”). Doublet of glossarium.

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

This entry
Origin Ancient Greek γλῶσσα
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated