thesaurus — a book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts
Pronunciation (IPA): /θɪˈsɔːrəs/
Example Sentences
- My teacher banned us from using the word 'good' and forced us to consult a thesaurus for alternatives.
- The thesaurus became my best friend during the creative writing course.
- He memorized the entire thesaurus but still couldn't write a decent poem.
thesaurus
NOUN[/θɪˈsɔːrəs/]
a book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts
She flipped through the thesaurus to find a better word than 'happy'.
Finding words for stegosaurus and brontosaurus in her thesaurus!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Greek 'thesauros', meaning 'treasure house' or 'storehouse'. The term was metaphorically applied to a collection of synonyms, drawing a parallel between precious treasures systematically stored in a vault and words methodically organized and preserved in a reference work.
Breakdown
Greek 'thesauros' (treasure house, repository) + Latin suffix '-us' → thesaurus. The root 'thesauros' combines the concept of a physical storage space for valuables with the modern application of cataloguing and organizing words by meaning and usage.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My teacher banned us from using the word 'good' and forced us to consult a thesaurus for alternatives.”
“The thesaurus became my best friend during the creative writing course.”
“He memorized the entire thesaurus but still couldn't write a decent poem.”
“Modern word processors often include a built-in thesaurus feature.”
📚Related Words
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