Almanac

Origin

The term entered our language from the French word almanach, meaning "annual" and "comprehensive calendar." This term is based on the Neo-Latin word almanac, used in the 13th century by the English scholar Roger Bacon, which carried the same meaning. The original source of the word is the Arabic expression al-munaḳḳaḥ (المنقّح), derived from the verb meaning "to prune," and signifying "reviewed, summarized, or edited text."

Areas of Use

• Astronomy: Used for technical tables that present annually the positions of celestial bodies, solar and lunar eclipses, tidal events, and other periodic phenomena.
• Meteorology: Refers to records containing historical weather data for a specific region, seasonal forecasts, and a calendar of natural events.
• Statistics / Sociology: Denotes chronological compilations that summarize annual changes in numerical data such as population movements, economic indicators, or social events.
• Press / Publishing: Encompasses annual publications that compile the activities, achievements, and key developments of institutions, sports clubs, or artistic fields over a single year.
• Literature / Culture: Preferred for naming annotated anthologies and yearbooks that present a chronological record of the literary output of authors, poets, or a specific historical period.