"reference work" meaning in English

See reference work in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: reference works [plural]
Etymology: reference + work Etymology templates: {{m|en|reference}} reference, {{m|en|work}} work Head templates: {{en-noun}} reference work (plural reference works)
  1. A compendium of information which is not generally intended to be read from beginning to end but rather consulted on a spot basis, and is compiled for ease of reference; especially, a reference book, whether in print, digital, or both. Categories (topical): Reference works Synonyms: reference work, reference work Related terms: database, file, file system, filing system, information, reference, book Coordinate_terms: primer, schoolbook, textbook Translations (compendium of information): 工具書 (Chinese Mandarin), 工具书 (gōngjùshū) (Chinese Mandarin), 參考書 (Chinese Mandarin), 参考书 (cānkǎoshū) (Chinese Mandarin), opslagsværk [neuter] (Danish), naslagwerk [neuter] (Dutch), hakuteos (Finnish), ouvrage de référence [masculine] (French), Nachschlagewerk [neuter] (German), opera di riferimento [feminine] (Italian), lavoro di consultazione [masculine] (Italian), 参考図書 (sankōtosho) (alt: さんこうとしょ) (Japanese), анықтамалық басылым (anyqtamalyq basylym) (Kazakh), 참고서 (chamgoseo) (alt: 參考書) (Korean), Naokieksel (Low German), oppslagsverk [neuter] (Norwegian Bokmål), oppslagsverk [neuter] (Norwegian Nynorsk), کتاب مرجع (Persian), vademecum [neuter] (Polish), informator [masculine] (Polish), poradnik [masculine] (Polish), lucrare de referință [feminine] (Romanian), compendiu de consultare [neuter] (Romanian), спра́вочный материа́л (správočnyj materiál) [masculine] (Russian), (usually in plural :)спра́вочные материа́лы (správočnyje materiály) [plural] (Russian), obra de referencia (usu. with plural "obras") [feminine] (Spanish), งานอ้างอิง (Thai)

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for reference work meaning in English (8.4kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "reference"
      },
      "expansion": "reference",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "work"
      },
      "expansion": "work",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "reference + work",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "reference works",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "reference work (plural reference works)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with redundant transliterations",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Reference works",
          "orig": "en:Reference works",
          "parents": [
            "Books",
            "Literature",
            "Mass media",
            "Culture",
            "Entertainment",
            "Writing",
            "Media",
            "Society",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Language",
            "Communication",
            "All topics",
            "Human",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "coordinate_terms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "primer"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "schoolbook"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "textbook"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A compendium of information which is not generally intended to be read from beginning to end but rather consulted on a spot basis, and is compiled for ease of reference; especially, a reference book, whether in print, digital, or both."
      ],
      "hyponyms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "dictionary"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "directory"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "lexicon"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "encyclopedic dictionary"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "etymological dictionary"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "translating dictionary"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "minidictionary"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "subdictionary"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "wordbook"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "encyclopedia"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "encyclopædia"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "encyclopaedia"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "thesaurus"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "minithesaurus"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "concordance"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "index"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "grammar"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "tags": [
            "archaic"
          ],
          "word": "grammary"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "handbook"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "instruction manual"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "manual"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "pocketbook"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "pocket reference"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "reference book"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "vade mecum"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "almanac"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "almanack"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "atlas"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "gazetteer"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "globe"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "star chart"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "pharmacopoeia"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "pharmacopœia"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "pharmacopeia"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "telephone directory"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "white pages"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "yellow pages"
        }
      ],
      "id": "en-reference_work-en-noun-lrOD~tRC",
      "links": [
        [
          "compendium",
          "compendium"
        ],
        [
          "information",
          "information"
        ],
        [
          "spot",
          "spot#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "reference",
          "reference"
        ],
        [
          "reference book",
          "reference book"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "database"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "file"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "file system"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "filing system"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "information"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "reference"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "book"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "reference work"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
          "word": "reference work"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "工具書"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "gōngjùshū",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "工具书"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "參考書"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "cānkǎoshū",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "参考书"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "opslagsværk"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "naslagwerk"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "hakuteos"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "ouvrage de référence"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Nachschlagewerk"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "opera di riferimento"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "lavoro di consultazione"
        },
        {
          "alt": "さんこうとしょ",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "sankōtosho",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "参考図書"
        },
        {
          "code": "kk",
          "lang": "Kazakh",
          "roman": "anyqtamalyq basylym",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "анықтамалық басылым"
        },
        {
          "alt": "參考書",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "chamgoseo",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "참고서"
        },
        {
          "code": "nds",
          "lang": "Low German",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "Naokieksel"
        },
        {
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "oppslagsverk"
        },
        {
          "code": "nn",
          "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "oppslagsverk"
        },
        {
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "کتاب مرجع"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "vademecum"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "informator"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "poradnik"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "lucrare de referință"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "compendiu de consultare"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "správočnyj materiál",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "спра́вочный материа́л"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "správočnyje materiály",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "(usually in plural :)спра́вочные материа́лы"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "obra de referencia (usu. with plural \"obras\")"
        },
        {
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "sense": "compendium of information",
          "word": "งานอ้างอิง"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "reference work"
}
{
  "coordinate_terms": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "primer"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "schoolbook"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "textbook"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "reference"
      },
      "expansion": "reference",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "work"
      },
      "expansion": "work",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "reference + work",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "reference works",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "reference work (plural reference works)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyponyms": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "dictionary"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "directory"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "lexicon"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "encyclopedic dictionary"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "etymological dictionary"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "translating dictionary"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "minidictionary"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "subdictionary"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "wordbook"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "encyclopedia"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "encyclopædia"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "encyclopaedia"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "thesaurus"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "minithesaurus"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "concordance"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "index"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "grammar"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "word": "grammary"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "handbook"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "instruction manual"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "manual"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "pocketbook"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "pocket reference"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "reference book"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "vade mecum"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "almanac"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "almanack"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "atlas"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "gazetteer"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "globe"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "star chart"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "pharmacopoeia"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "pharmacopœia"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "pharmacopeia"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "telephone directory"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "white pages"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "yellow pages"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "database"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "file"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "file system"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "filing system"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "information"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "reference"
    },
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "book"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
        "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
        "en:Reference works"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A compendium of information which is not generally intended to be read from beginning to end but rather consulted on a spot basis, and is compiled for ease of reference; especially, a reference book, whether in print, digital, or both."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "compendium",
          "compendium"
        ],
        [
          "information",
          "information"
        ],
        [
          "spot",
          "spot#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "reference",
          "reference"
        ],
        [
          "reference book",
          "reference book"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "reference work"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "source": "Thesaurus:reference work",
      "word": "reference work"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "工具書"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "gōngjùshū",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "工具书"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "參考書"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "cānkǎoshū",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "参考书"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "opslagsværk"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "naslagwerk"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "hakuteos"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ouvrage de référence"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Nachschlagewerk"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "opera di riferimento"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "lavoro di consultazione"
    },
    {
      "alt": "さんこうとしょ",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "sankōtosho",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "参考図書"
    },
    {
      "code": "kk",
      "lang": "Kazakh",
      "roman": "anyqtamalyq basylym",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "анықтамалық басылым"
    },
    {
      "alt": "參考書",
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "chamgoseo",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "참고서"
    },
    {
      "code": "nds",
      "lang": "Low German",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "Naokieksel"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "oppslagsverk"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "oppslagsverk"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "کتاب مرجع"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "vademecum"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "informator"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "poradnik"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "lucrare de referință"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "compendiu de consultare"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "správočnyj materiál",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "спра́вочный материа́л"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "správočnyje materiály",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "(usually in plural :)спра́вочные материа́лы"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "obra de referencia (usu. with plural \"obras\")"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "sense": "compendium of information",
      "word": "งานอ้างอิง"
    }
  ],
  "word": "reference work"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.