interlibrary loan

noun

a system by which one library obtains a work for a user by borrowing it from another library.
a loan made by this system.

Origin of interlibrary loan

First recorded in 1925–30; inter- + library

Words nearby interlibrary loan

interleukin 2, interleukin 3, interleukin-1, interleukin-2, interleukin-3, interlibrary loan, interline, interlineal, interlinear, interlinear spacing, interlineate

British Dictionary definitions for interlibrary loan

interlibrary loan
/ (ˌɪntəˈlaɪbrərɪ) /

noun

a system by which libraries borrow publications from other libraries
  1. an instance of such borrowing
  2. a publication so borrowed