Definition

Noun: 1. The independent agency that oversees management of federal government records including presidential libraries and historic collections: NARA is the acronym for the National Archives and Records Administration, a U.S. government agency responsible for preserving and providing access to the nation's historical documents and federal records.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Researchers often visit NARA to study original historical documents.
  • The Declaration of Independence is preserved by NARA.
  • You can request military service records through NARA's website.

Advanced Usage

• "NARA's holdings": Refers to the entire collection of documents, artifacts, and records managed by the agency.
  • NARA's holdings include billions of textual records, maps, photographs, and films.
• "A NARA facility": Refers to any of the physical locations, such as archives, presidential libraries, or records centers, operated by the agency.
  • The National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., is the most famous NARA facility.

Variants and Related Words

• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): The full, official name of the agency.
• National Archives: A common shortened name for NARA, often used to refer specifically to its public exhibition spaces and flagship building.
• Archivist of the United States: The head official of NARA.

Synonyms

• The National Archives (common shorthand)
• The Archives (informal, contextual)

Notes on Meaning

• NARA is a proper noun and an acronym. It is always capitalized and typically used without an article (e.g., "documents held by NARA").
• The term refers specifically to the United States federal agency. Other countries have their own national archives with different names (e.g., The National Archives (UK), Archives nationales (France)).

Noun

1. the independent agency that oversees management of federal government records including presidential libraries and historic collections