Dictionary | Definition of dictionary by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of DICTIONARY

1

: a reference source in print or electronic form containing words usually alphabetically arranged along with information about their forms, pronunciations, functions, etymologies, meanings, and syntactical and idiomatic uses

2

: a reference book listing alphabetically terms or names important to a particular subject or activity along with discussion of their meanings and applications

3

: a reference book listing alphabetically the words of one language and showing their meanings or translations in another language

4

: a computerized list (as of items of data or words) used for reference (as for information retrieval or word processing)

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Examples of DICTIONARY

Famed for his dictionary, “Rambler” essays and The Lives of the English Poets, Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) remains one of the most-quoted and carefully observed authors who ever lived. —Publishers Weekly, 21 July 2008
I still read relatively slowly in Yiddish, with frequent recourse to a dictionary, and my first year of graduate school found me at my desk till two or three in the morning every night … —Aaron Lansky, Outwitting History, 2004
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Origin of DICTIONARY

Medieval Latin dictionarium, from Late Latin diction-, dictio word, from Latin, speaking

First Known Use: 1526

Related to DICTIONARY

Synonyms: lexicon, wordbook

Other Publishing Terms

annotate, dreadful, emend, expurgate, factoid, jump, lobster shift, redaction, referee

Rhymes with DICTIONARY

actuary, adversary, airy-fairy, ancillary, antiquary, apiary, arbitrary, aviary, axillary, bacillary, beriberi, bestiary, biliary, black raspberry, Bloody Mary, boysenberry, breviary, budgetary, calamari, calamary, candleberry, Canterbury, capillary, carpellary, cassowary, catenary, cautionary, cavitary, cemetery, centenary, certiorari, checkerberry, chinaberry, cometary, commentary, commissary, condottiere, coralberry, corollary, coronary, culinary, customary, dietary, dignitary, dromedary, dysentery, elderberry, emissary, estuary, farkleberry, February, formulary, fragmentary, fritillary, functionary, funerary, honorary, huckleberry, intermarry, janissary, January, lamasery, lapidary, lectionary, legendary, legionary, lingonberry, literary, loganberry, luminary, mammillary, mandatary, maxillary, medullary, mercenary, miliary, military, millenary, milliary, millinery, missionary, momentary, monastery, mortuary, necessary, ordinary, ossuary, partridgeberry, pensionary, pigmentary, planetary, Pondicherry, prebendary, presbytery, pulmonary, quaternary, red mulberry, reliquary, rowanberry, salivary, salmonberry, salutary, sanctuary, sanguinary, sanitary, secondary, secretary, sedentary, seminary, silverberry, solitary, sour cherry, stationary, stationery, statuary, subcontrary, sublunary, sugarberry, sumptuary, syllabary, temporary, tertiary, thimbleberry, Tipperary, Tom and Jerry, topiary, tributary, tutelary, Typhoid Mary, unitary, urinary, vestiary, Virgin Mary, visionary, voluntary, vulnerary, Waterbury, whortleberry, winterberry

Definition of DICTIONARY for Kids

1

: a book giving the meaning and usually the pronunciation of words listed in alphabetical order

2

: a reference book explaining words of a particular subject listed in alphabetical order <a medical dictionary>

3

: a book listing words of one language in alphabetical order with definitions in another language

Learn More About DICTIONARY

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "dictionary"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "dictionary"

Nglish: Translation of "dictionary" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "dictionary" for Arabic speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about "dictionary"

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