HELP - Using the Glossary

If there are words on the screen with a magnifying glass by them, you can click a word to see a definition and other related terms.You can also get English translations of words you don't understand. I've provided more help below.

Help Topics

Click one of the following for information about the glossary:

• When Should I Use the Glossary?
• How Do I Get to the Glossary?
• How Do I Use the Glossary's Search Tab?
• How Do I Use the Custom Search Tab?
• When Should I Use the Printable Version Button?
• Tips for Using the Glossary Custom Search
• Frequently Asked Questions

When Should I Use the Glossary?

Use the glossary when you want terms associated with genealogical research defined, or if you want an English translation of foreign words you may encounter in Research Guidance. A magnifying glass next to a word means a glossary definition or translation is available.

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How Do I Get to the Glossary?

There are several ways to get to the glossary: 

• From the main FamilySearch.org screen, click the Search tab. On the toolbar, click Web Sites. From the Browse Web Site Categories, click Research Support and then Glossary.
• From any Research Guidance or Research Helps screen, click the word next to a magnifying glass to see the glossary definition.
• From the What to do next list, click Other Research Helps. Then click the underlined word listed under Subject Glossaries or click Subject Glossaries.

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How Do I Use the Glossary's Search Tab?

• To get a definition of a word by typing it in, use the Find field. The Find feature is a character-by-character search. The search will try to position you to the closest matching term for the characters you enter.
• To browse the definitions alphabetically, use the Alphabet Bar. The Alphabet Bar allows you to browse the entries for the letter you select. If there are too many terms to display on the list panel, the bottom of the list panel will contain navigation links to the rest of the words.

To use the glossary or find another word in the glossary:

1. Type a word in the Find box, or select the desired letter from the Alphabet Bar.
2. If you use the Alphabet Bar, scroll to the desired word and click the word.
3. To refine your search for a glossary term, click the Custom Search tab.

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How Do I Use the Custom Search Tab?

To use the custom search:

1. From the glossary screen, click Custom Search.
2. Click on the place, subject, or language button to see a list of terms.
3. Scroll to the desired word in the left column. Click the word, and the glossary will display information about the word.
4. If you want to combine more than one place or combine a place(s) and subject(s) or more than one subject. For example, if you want to see terms related to France and military history, you would select France as the place and military history as the subject.
5. Click the Clear button to start a new search.

To build a customized list of related terms, click one or a combination of the following from Custom Search:

Select Place provides an alphabetized list of places you can search.

1. Select a Place by clicking the first letter of the place-name on the alphabet bar, and all the places starting with that letter will be displayed.
2. Click the place you want to see, and all the terms related to that place will be displayed.
3. Click on the term to see a definition.
4. Click another term or add a subject.

Select Subject lists words that are associated with a particular subject. The subjects listed in the glossary are the same as those in the Family History Library Catalog. For example, some subjects are: almanacs, Bible records, census, and so forth.

1. Select a subject by clicking the first letter of the place name on the alphabet bar, and all the subjects starting with that letter will be displayed.
2. Click the subject you want to see, and all the terms related to that subject will be displayed.
3. Click on the term to see the definition.
4. Click another term to add to your search, or click Clear.

Select Language provides an alphabetized list of languages. Click on a language, and all the glossary terms related to that language will be displayed.

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When Should I Use the Printable Version Button?

Click the Printable Version button when you want a complete printed list of the glossary terms and definitions you have selected.

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Tips for Using Custom Search

Keep the following in mind as you use the Custom Search tab:

• You can pick multiple languages, subjects, or places. If you pick multiples of any one type (place, subject, or language), the system will retrieve all terms that match any of the entries you select.
• If you select a place(s) and a subject(s), the system will retrieve only  those terms that match both the place and the subject.
• When using the place search with the subject search, it is an "and" search. Any term or abbreviation brought up in the results list will have both terms: it will be categorized by both the place and subject.
• When searching for more than one subject, the system uses an "or" search, so a list for one or the other subject will be displayed. If a locality is added to the same search, the system will conduct an "and" search with all the subjects.
• The language search is always an "or" search. Any place or subject combined with a language will result in all places or subjects being listed.
• It is best to do a language search without other combinations.
• Keep it simple when doing combination searches. The list of terms returned will be more understandable. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q:   I can't find a word or term I need a definition for.  What should I do?

A:   If the glossary does not list the word, many local libraries contain dictionaries and encyclopedias to help you find a definition. Please use the feedback button to suggest that the term be added to the glossary.

Q:   What if I want to print a list of glossary terms?

A:   A button located at the top of the word list panel will take you to a page that contains all the words and their definitions for printing. Currently you must print all those terms contained in the list panel.

Q:   I can't find a word that has special characters or makings.   What should I do?

A:   Words that begin with a special character are found at the end of the alphabet listing.

Q:   What if I'm getting results that don't fit my search parameters?

A:   Make sure you clear the search field before you select a new search.

Q:   What if I'm getting no results back for my custom search?

A:   Some combinations of places and subjects have no terms in the database.

Q:   Can I type in multiple words in the Find box, or is the search logic strictly alphabetical?

A:   The logic is strictly alphabetical. The program positions you to the closest possible match so that you can review words around the one you are trying to find. Sometimes variations of the words are helpful.

Q:   Are there abbreviations for words in the glossary?

A:   Yes. Abbreviations for words are also included in the glossary. In many cases the abbreviation is used in a record instead of the full word.  

Q:   What should I do if I don't know how to spell the word I am searching for?

A:   If you don't know how to spell a word, try typing a few of the beginning letters of the word and browsing the list of words.

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