A glossary is a list of specialized terms with definitions, commonly found in books or software manuals. It acts like a dictionary but focuses on specific text. Glossaries are useful study tools and eliminate confusion. They can be technical and organized alphabetically.
A glossary is a list of specialized terms with definitions. Glossaries are commonly found in the back of books or in software manuals, to help readers and users understand terms they may not be familiar with. The list could be said to act like a dictionary, except that instead of being as comprehensive as possible, it usually focuses on terms in the specific text that the reader is likely not familiar with.
The word comes from the Latin glossa, which means “foreign word”. The first English use of the word was recorded in 1380. To compare a glossary with a dictionary, it may be helpful to also look at the Latin roots of “dictionary”. Dictio means “word” and in Middle Latin, a dictionarium was a collection of words and phrases. Early English dictionaries focused on translating from one language to another, although in Asia, dictionaries were collections of native words with alternative meanings and spellings.
Students often use glossaries as study tools because they quickly cover a wide range of concepts with clear, concise definitions. In a textbook with a glossary accompanying each chapter, it can be helpful to read the terms first to get a basic review of the concepts that will be covered, and then read the chapter with the definitions fresh in mind. A glossary can also be used as a building block for flashcards, as it highlights concepts that might come up in an ending.
A glossary can also be a useful tool for anyone exploring something new, whether it’s computers or economics. For example, someone who is not very familiar with the Internet might benefit from reading definitions of terms and basic problems. Glossaries are also an important part of software manuals, providing clear and contextual definitions for the material covered. Since words sometimes have multiple meanings in the English language, such a glossary can be extremely useful because it will eliminate confusion.
In books that use foreign language words and terms, a separate glossary for foreign languages may be included so that the reader can quickly look up definitions. Books with a lot of technical material such as scientific publications may also include definitions, and some glossaries themselves may be quite technical, as they are aimed at advanced users. In most cases, the list is organized alphabetically for ease of use.
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