Saturday, June 25, 2011

Library

Library \LAHY-brer-ee\ or \LAHY-bruh-ree\ or \LAHY-bree\ , noun;
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 reference materials for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference
4. Biology: A collection or standard materials or formulations by which specimens are identified
5. Computers: A collection of software or data usually reflecting a specific theme or application
My local library, no big deal... (source)
Unlike most Indo-European language, English uses library for this concept instead of something like biblioteca. I thought maybe that meant it was a Germanic word but, nope, it derives from Latin too.

Library dates to the late 14th century from Anglo-French librarie, which derives from Old French librairie ("collection of books"). Librairie was the noun usage of the adjective librarius ("concerning books") which comes from Latin librarium ("chest for books") based on liber ("book, paper, parchment," originally "the inner bark of trees"). Liber is probably derived from Proto-Indo-European *leub(h)- ("to strip, to peel").

Library replaced the Old English word bochord, which was literally "book hord."

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