Abecedary

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌeɪ.biːˈsiː.də.ɹi/

Definitions

1. This term describes a compendium that presents information in a sequential alphabetical format for educational purposes
2. This word denotes a type of guide or book arranged in alphabetical order, serving as an instructional tool for learning and reference purposes
3. It refers to a resource that systematically lists information alphabetically, often intended to aid in teaching or providing information

Etymology: The name comes from the first four letters of the Latin alphabet, A, B, C and D, which were spelled out in order to give the word its shape. Late Latin "abecedarius" meant "of the alphabet," and the form was extended with the suffix "-arius," a common Latin marker for "belonging to" or "connected with." From there it passed into Medieval Latin as "abecedarium," a term for an alphabet or an ABC primer, the book children used to learn their letters. English took the word through Middle English as "abscedary," a form that shows the word was once spelled with an "s" where modern English has "e," though the pronunciation has settled into the familiar "ay-bee-SEE-dree." Because the root word had both a noun sense (a primer or alphabet) and an adjective sense (relating to the alphabet), it is a doublet of "abecedarium," meaning the two forms entered English along separate routes and took on different roles.

Synonyms: alphabetical, ABC, lettered