reference book

noun

1. a book containing useful facts or specially organized information, as an encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas, yearbook, etc.

2. Also called pass, passbook. South African.,  a domestic identity document formerly required to be carried by Black citizens.

reference book

noun

1. a book, such as an encyclopedia, dictionary, etc, from which information may be obtained

2. another name for passbook

Word History and Origins

Origin of reference book¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

"Conversation over the supper table was always lively, our mother Mary very much held her own meanwhile David was ready with a reference book to look up something that was being disputed."

From BBC

On other days, you’d likely find him on the gallery’s mezzanine, buried among stacks of reference books to examine the artistic and historical quality of centuries-old and contemporary lithographs, etchings, engravings and other prints.

From Seattle Times

Alsobrook scoured reference books, databases and other online resources, to no avail.

From Seattle Times

Thanks to this painstaking manual work, reference books with idealized depictions of individual embryonic stages are available for many animal species today.

From Science Daily

With knowledge gained through working at FSI, volunteering with AmeriCorps and consuming numerous reference books and YouTube videos, EagleFeather's homestead is now one of Rosebud's most productive examples of food sovereignty.

From Salon

Related Words

• almanac 
• dictionary 
• directory 
• thesaurus