Library Definition

lībrĕrē

libraries

noun

libraries

A collection of books, periodicals, musical scores, music and film recordings, etc., esp. a large, systematically arranged collection for reading or reference.

Webster's New World

A collection of such materials, especially when systematically arranged.

American Heritage

A room or building where such a collection is kept.

Webster's New World

A public or private institution in charge of the care and circulation of such a collection.

Webster's New World

A set or series of books issued in a single format by a publishing house.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
bookroom
subroutine library
program library
depository library
stack
carrel
bibliotheca
gallery
reading-room
institution
books
atheneum
athenaeum
archive
incunabula

Other Word Forms of Library

Noun

Singular:

library

Plural:

libraries

Origin of Library

Middle English librarie, from Anglo-Norman librarie, from Old French librairie, from Latin librarium (“bookcase, chest for books"), from librarius (“concerning books"), from liber (“the inner bark of trees, paper, parchment, book"), probably derived from a Proto-Indo-European base *leub(h) (“to strip, to peel"). Displaced native Middle English bochus, bochous (“library, bookhouse") (from Old English bōchÅ«s (“library, bookhouse")).

From Wiktionary
Middle English librarie from Anglo-Norman from Latin librārium bookcase from neuter of librārius of books from liber libr- inner bark of trees used as a writing material, book

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition