rhizoverbBeta
DictionarycatalogOrganized collection
noun / verb

catalog

KAT-ul-og/ˈkæt̮lˌɔɡ/

An organized list or collection of items, or the act of listing them.

The catalog arranges furniture pictures and prices in orderly rows.

An open illustrated furniture catalog with orderly rows of distinct product pictures and small prices, making an organized selection of items for sale visible without explanatory writing.
Etymology
cataGreekcompletely
+logGreekto say, count

Here the prefix gives the sense of counting or telling completely: the underlying Greek verb meant “reckon up” or “tell at length.” The resulting noun named an itemized list or register.

In context

WikiWikiup2:11
Sears offered the first Madras shirt for sale to the American Consumer in its 1897 catalog
Madras (cloth)

More examples

  • The librarian cataloged the new arrivals.
  • We checked the catalog for the part.
  • She is cataloging the collection.

Forms

catalog · catalogs · cataloged · cataloging

Similar words

inventory
An inventory records what is held rather than necessarily what is offered.
directory
A directory primarily helps locate people or services rather than describing a collection of items.