Glossary
/ˈɡlɒs.ər.i/noun
A list of specialized words with their meanings, usually found at the end of a book.
Did you know?Glossary ultimately comes from Greek glōssa, meaning both “tongue” and “language,” so the word began as a record of strange or difficult words that needed explaining.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
glōssa / glōtta
“tongue; language; a strange or obscure word”
Late Latin
Latin
glossarium
“a collection of glosses or explanations of difficult words”
Old French
French
glossaire
“a glossary, a word-list with explanations”
14th–15th Century
English
glossarie
“a collection of explanations of difficult words”
Modern English
English
glossary
“a list of terms with definitions”