reference work
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reference work
A book or digital collection in which you can quickly find information on specific topics, such as a lexicon, dictionary, or encyclopedia.
Für seine Recherche benutzte er mehrere historische Nachschlagewerke aus der Bibliothek.
For his research, he used several historical reference works from the library.
The word is very descriptive. It consists of the verb 'nachschlagen' (to look up) and 'das Werk' (work, book). A 'Nachschlagewerk' (reference work) is therefore literally a 'work for looking up' information.
Ein gutes Wörterbuch ist ein unverzichtbares Nachschlagewerk.
A good dictionary is an indispensable reference work.
The most common action connected with this word is 'in einem Nachschlagewerk etwas nachzuschlagen' (to look something up in a reference work). Other typical verbs are 'benutzen' (to use), 'verwenden' (to use), or the more formal 'konsultieren' (to consult).
Ich muss das Datum in einem Nachschlagewerk nachschlagen.
I have to look up the date in a reference work.
'Nachschlagewerk' (reference work) is an umbrella term for many different kinds of books. It can be a dictionary, a lexicon, an encyclopedia, an atlas, or a specialist handbook.
Diese Online-Enzyklopädie ist ein sehr nützliches Nachschlagewerk.
This online encyclopedia is a very useful reference work.
manual / handbook
'das Handbuch' and 'das Nachschlagewerk' can both be used to find information quickly. 'Nachschlagewerk' is the more general term. It can include things like encyclopedias, dictionaries, or digital collections. A 'Handbuch' can be a reference work if it summarizes the knowledge of a field. However, it often feels more strongly connected to a specific topic or practical use. Learners may confuse the words because you look things up in both. Memory tip: any suitable Handbuch can be a Nachschlagewerk, but not every Nachschlagewerk is a Handbuch.
Dieses digitale Nachschlagewerk hilft dem Kunden, Fachbegriffe schnell zu finden.
This digital reference work helps the customer quickly find technical terms.
Das Handbuch erklärt die wichtigsten Methoden der Pflege klar und mit Beispielen.
The handbook explains the most important care methods clearly and with examples.