library: Meaning and Definition of

li•brar•y

Pronunciation: (lī'brer"ē, -bru-rē, -brē), [key]
— pl. -brar•ies.
  1. a place set apart to contain books, periodicals, and other material for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference, as a room, set of rooms, or building where books may be read or borrowed.
  2. a public body organizing and maintaining such an establishment.
  3. a collection of manuscripts, publications, and other materials for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference.
  4. a collection of any materials for study and enjoyment, as films, musical recordings, or maps.
  5. a commercial establishment lending books for a fixed charge; a lending library.
  6. a series of books of similar character or alike in size, binding, etc., issued by a single publishing house.
  7. a collection of standard materials or formulations by which specimens are identified.
  8. canon (def. 9).
  9. a collection of software or data usually reflecting a specific theme or application.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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