[f. WORD sb. + BOOK sb.; in sense 1 cf. G. wörterbuch (f. gen. pl. of wort word + buch book), Du. † woordboek, woordenboek, Icel. orðabók, Sw. ordbok, Da. ordoog.]
1. A book containing a list of words (as of the vocabulary of a language, a book, an art, or science) arranged in alphabetical or other systematic order.
The term is often used where it is desired to avoid the implication of completeness or elaboration of treatment characteristic of a dictionary or lexicon.
1598. Florio, Ital. Dict., To Rdr. b 1. If no other bookes can be so well perfected, but still some thing may be added, how much lesse a Word-booke?
1730. Bailey (fol.), Vocabulary, a Word-Book, a little Dictionary containing a Collection of Words.
1791. Boswell, Johnson, an. 1755 (1904), I. 197. Johnson’s Dictionary … a work of much greater mental labour than mere Lexicons, or Word-books, as the Dutch call them.
1867. Smyth (title), The Sailor’s Word-book: an Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms.
1879. Georgina F. Jackson (title), Shropshire Word-Book, a Glossary of Archaic and Provincial Words, etc., used in the County.
1882. (title) A Word-Book for Students of English History.
2. The ‘book of the words’ or libretto of a musical composition.
1878. J. Marshall, in Grove, Dict. Mus., I. 353. Besides translating many foreign libretti, (H. F. Chorley) wrote the original word-books of one version of the ‘Amber Witch (Wallace),… of the May Queen (Bennett), [etc.].
1891. Guardian, 23 Sept., 1531/3. Mr. Culwick’s interesting summary of the word-book and its annotations.
