Glossaries (LaTeX2e unofficial reference manual (November 2018))

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### 25.3 Glossaries

Synopsis:

    \usepackage{glossaries} \makeglossaries
      ...
    \newglossaryentry{label}{settings}
      ...
    \gls{label}.
      ...
    \printglossaries

The `glossaries` package allows you to make glossaries, including multiple glossaries, as well as lists of acronyms.

To get the output from this example, compile the document (for instance with `pdflatex filename`), then run the command line command `makeglossaries filename`, and then compile the document again.

    \documentclass{...}
    \usepackage{glossaries} \makeglossaries
    \newglossaryentry{tm}{%
      name={Turing machine},
      description={A model of a machine that computes.  The model is simple
                   but can compute anything any existing device can compute.
                   It is the standard model used in Computer Science.},
      }
    \begin{document}
    Everything begins with the definition of a \gls{tm}.
      ...
    \printglossaries
    \end{document}

That gives two things. In the main text it outputs ‘`... definition of a Turing machine`’. In addition, in a separate sectional unit headed ‘`Glossary`’ there appears a description list. In boldface it says ‘`Turing machine`’ and the rest of the item says in normal type ‘`A model of a machine … Computer Science`’.

The command `\makeglossary` opens the file that will contain the entry information, `root-file.glo`. Put the `\printglossaries` command where you want the glossaries to appear in your document.

The `glossaries` package is very powerful. For instance, besides the commands `\newglossaryentry` and `\gls`, there are similar commands for a list of acronyms. See the package documentations on CTAN.

Unofficial LaTeX2e reference manual