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noun

phrasebook

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Phrasebook (noun) means a book of everyday phrases and expressions in two or more languages, meant to help travellers or learners communicate. Example: “She packed a pocket phrasebook before her trip to Japan.”

noun
1
a book of everyday phrases and expressions in two or more languages, meant to help travellers or learners communicate.
"She packed a pocket phrasebook before her trip to Japan."
"The phrasebook had a whole section on ordering food."
"He learned a few lines from a phrasebook rather than taking proper lessons."

How to use phrasebook

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small book that gives you handy phrases in another language when you're travelling.

When to use it

It is an everyday, informal word used mainly in travel contexts.

Memory tip

A phrasebook teaches set phrases for real situations, not vocabulary lists or grammar rules.

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Easily confused with
Common pairings
a pocket phrasebook pack a phrasebook phrases from the phrasebook
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She packed a pocket _____ before her trip to Japan.

Etymology

Phrasebook is a straightforward English compound, formed by joining phrase and book.

Origin: English

Rhymes for phrasebook

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Frequently asked questions

What is a phrasebook used for?
It is used to help travellers or language learners communicate by giving them common phrases in another language.
Is a phrasebook the same as a dictionary?
No, a dictionary lists individual words with their meanings, while a phrasebook gives whole everyday phrases and expressions.
Are phrasebooks still useful with translation apps available?
Many travellers still find a phrasebook handy as a quick, no-battery reference for the most common situations.
What is the meaning of phrasebook?
"phrasebook" (noun) means a book of everyday phrases and expressions in two or more languages, meant to help travellers or learners communicate.
Definitions: FreeDict original editorial