cataloger

or cat·a·logu·er

[ kat-l-aw-ger, -og-er ]

noun

1. a person who catalogs.
2. a person or firm that offers merchandise in a catalog from which buyers may order by mail.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cataloger¹

First recorded in 1835–45; catalog + -er ¹

Example Sentences

He consulted with scholars and catalogers, including Pflederer, carefully omitting his hypothesis about the date.

From Los Angeles Times

They were also keen catalogers of their own work, keeping copies of many pieces and the photographs used to construct them.

From New York Times

Ann Fabian, a historian at Rutgers University and a longtime friend of Reese’s, said that he saw dealers, collectors, auctioneers, catalogers and scholars as part of a “grand collaborative project that creates meaning and value.”

From New York Times

The boost continues a positive trend for catalogers that are defying those who predicted their demise in a digital world.

From Seattle Times

Julie Carlsen, a librarian and cataloger who curated the exhibition with Lomazow, called his collection “endlessly fascinating,” if a bit daunting to sort through in search of a clear narrative line.

From New York Times

Related Words

• curator

More About Cataloger

What does cataloger mean?

A cataloger is a person who’s responsible for cataloging things—recording them in an ordered list. Catalog is sometimes spelled catalogue, and cataloger is sometimes spelled cataloguer.

The list that the cataloger compiles is also called a catalog. Cataloger is often used in the context of the formal recording of items in a collection, such as that of a museum or library.

Catalog also often refers to a printed copy of items available for purchase from a particular company. The company providing such catalogs can be called a cataloger, but this sense of the word isn’t all that commonly used anymore.

Example: A team of catalogers has been working for months to document and record every last volume in the collection.

Where does cataloger come from?

The first records of the word cataloger come from the 1800s. Its base word, catalog, comes from the Greek katálogos, meaning “a register,” from the verb katalégein, meaning “to list” or “to count up.”

Catalogers often do more than just make a list of items. Especially when they’re cataloging items in a professional setting, their records often include descriptions of the items, their contents, and their condition, among other things.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to cataloger?

• cataloguer (alternate spelling)
• catalog (verb, noun)

What are some synonyms for cataloger?

• indexer

What are some words that share a root or word element with cataloger? 

• card catalog
• online catalog
• logos

What are some words that often get used in discussing cataloger?

• list
• file
• register
• record
• inventory
• order
• mail order

How is cataloger used in real life?

Cataloger is typically used in the context of formal records of items, such as those held by a museum or library.

I work as a cataloger at a seminary library, and this sweet lady I work with puts up a "topical shelf" near the front desk each month for various calendar events. This month I asked if she would let me pull some LGBT+ books (it's a v. prog institution) for Pride. 1/

— arden’s affable anti fascism (@arden_seriously) June 12, 2019

 

 

#askacataloger I'm a special collections cataloger for an art museum. ASK ME THINGS!

— Sarah Bilotta Belclaire (@Sarahebb_) June 1, 2019

Try using cataloger!

Which of the following things is a cataloger likely to do? 

A. make lists
B. record items
C. inspect inventory
D. all of the above