library

[ lahy-brer-ee, -bruh-ree, -bree ]

noun

, plural li·brar·ies.

1. a place set apart to contain books, periodicals, and other material for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference, as a room, set of rooms, or building where books may be read or borrowed.
2. a public body organizing and maintaining such an establishment.
3. a collection of manuscripts, publications, and other materials for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference.
4. a collection of any materials for study and enjoyment, as films, musical recordings, or maps.
5. a commercial establishment lending books for a fixed charge; a lending library.
6. a series of books of similar character or alike in size, binding, etc., issued by a single publishing house.
7. Biology. a collection of standard materials or formulations by which specimens are identified.
8. canon ¹( def 9 ).
9. Computers. a collection of software or data usually reflecting a specific theme or application.

library

/ ˈlaɪbrərɪ /

noun

1. a room or set of rooms where books and other literary materials are kept
2. a collection of literary materials, films, CDs, children's toys, etc, kept for borrowing or reference
3. the building or institution that houses such a collection

   a public library

4. a set of books published as a series, often in a similar format
5. computing a collection of standard programs and subroutines for immediate use, usually stored on disk or some other storage device
6. a collection of specific items for reference or checking against

   a library of genetic material

Pronunciation Note

Library, with one r -sound following close upon another, is particularly vulnerable to the process of dissimilation—the tendency for neighboring like sounds to become unlike, or for one of them to disappear altogether. The pronunciation [lahy, -brer-ee], therefore, while still the most common, is frequently reduced by educated speakers, both in the U.S. and in England, to the dissimilated [lahy, -b, uh, -ree] or [lahy, -bree]. A third dissimilated form [lahy, -ber-ee] is more likely to be heard from less educated or very young speakers, and is often criticized. See colonel, February, governor.

Other Words From

• inter·librar·y adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of library¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English libraire, from Middle French librairie, from Medieval Latin librāria, noun use of feminine of Latin librārius (adjective) “of books,” from libr-, stem of liber “book” + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of library¹

C14: from Old French librairie, from Medieval Latin librāris, n use of Latin librārius relating to books, from liber book