 In general usage, a thesaurus is a reference work that lists words grouped together

according to similarity of meaning (containing synonyms and sometimes antonyms), in

contrast to a dictionary, which provides definitions for words, and generally lists them in
alphabetical order.
 a compilation of terms showing synonymous, hierarchical, and other relationships and
dependencies, the function of which is to provide a standardized, controlled vocabulary
for information storage and retrieval.

The major purposes of a thesaurus

1. To provide a map of a given field of knowledge, indicating how concepts or ideas about
concepts are related to one another, which helps an indexer or a searcher to understand
the structure of the field.

2. To provide a standard vocabulary for a given subject field which will ensure that indexers
are consistent when they are making index entries to an information storage and retrieval
system.

3. To provide a system of references between terms which will ensure that only one term
from a set of synonyms is used for indexing one concept.

4. To provide a guide for users of the systems so that they choose the correct term for a
subject search.

5. A desirable purpose is to provide a means by which the use of terms in a given subject
field may be standardized.