What does gazetteer mean?
A gazetteer is a reference work that records geographical names, such as those of cities, rivers, regions, mountains, and other places. It may also identify where a name is used, distinguish between places with similar names, and provide coordinates, population figures, historical spellings, or other useful details. The word is especially associated with careful geographic and historical documentation, so a gazetteer is more than a simple list of place names. In an older sense, a gazetteer was an official publication containing government notices and public announcements, comparable in function to a gazette. Today, the geographical sense is dominant, while the older sense remains relevant in historical and legal contexts. The term is commonly used by historians, geographers, editors, librarians, and others who need authoritative information about names and places.
A dictionary or reference work containing geographical names and information about the places they designate.
"The scholar consulted the gazetteer to confirm the spelling and location of the river."
The geographical sense is the standard modern use.
An official publication containing government notices, announcements, or other public records.
"The regulation was published in the official gazetteer and took effect the following month."
This sense is older and more specialized than the geographical sense.
The standard plural is gazetteers.
"The library maintains several regional gazetteers for geographic research."
The word gazetteer was named after a famous newspaper, but it has become the specialist's name for a dictionary of place names.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How gazetteer is actually used
The modern geographical sense is formal and technical. The sense meaning an official publication is chiefly historical or specialized, though it survives in names such as official gazetteers.
Easily confused with gazetteer
A gazette is a periodical publication, often an official one, whereas a gazetteer is primarily a dictionary of geographical names.