What does "library" mean?
An institution which holds books and/or other forms of media for use by the public or qualified people often lending them out, as well as providing various other services for its users.
Library
/ˈlaɪ.bɹə.ɹi/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An institution which holds books and/or other forms of media for use by the public or qualified people often lending them out, as well as providing various other services for its users.
- Grammar: library is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: akka, ala, american library association, ana.
- Useful contrasts: bookdealer, bookshops, bookstore.
- Usage evidence: Tomorrow, I'm going to study at the library.
How to use "library"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "library" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "library" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "library" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "library" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "library" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "akka" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "library", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An institution which holds books and/or other forms of media for use by the public or qualified people often lending them out, as well as providing various other services for its users.
"She went to exchange her books at her local library."
- 2 a depository built to contain books and other materials for reading and study wordnet
- 3 Any institution that lends out its goods for use by the public or a community. broadly
- 4 a room where books are kept wordnet
- 5 A collection of books or other forms of stored information.
"A small library of books has been written on the subject."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 a building that houses a collection of books and other materials wordnet
- 7 An equivalent collection of analogous information in a non-printed form, e.g. record library.
- 8 (computing) a collection of standard programs and subroutines that are stored and available for immediate use wordnet
- 9 A room dedicated to storing books.
- 10 a collection of literary documents or records kept for reference or borrowing wordnet
- 11 A collection of software routines that provide functionality to be incorporated into or used by a computer program.
"A static library is much like any other library in that it contains a bunch of code for your application to use."
- 12 A collection of DNA material from a single organism or relative to a single disease.
- 13 The deck or draw pile.
"At the conclusion of every duel, each player must show the remaining cards in his or her hand to the opponent to verify that no Restricted List duplicate cards appear there (e.g., to prove that a second Time Walk wasn't drawn from his library)."
Antonyms
Example
"Tomorrow, I'm going to study at the library."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "library"?
Common synonyms include: akka, ala, american library association, ana, anthology, aquarium.
How do you use "library" in a sentence?
Tomorrow, I'm going to study at the library.
How do you pronounce "library"?
Pronounced /ˈlaɪ.bɹə.ɹi/.
Etymology
From 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 bochous, bokhus (literally “book house”), from Old English bōchūs (compare bookhouse). Romance cognates often mean “bookshop” instead: French librairie, Italian libreria, Spanish librería, Romanian librărie and Portuguese livraria. This is a relatively recent innovation (16th century in French), which ended up displacing the earlier sense.