dictionary
DIK-shuh-ner-ee
/ˈdɪkʃənəri/
A book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language and gives their meaning, or equivalent words in a different language.
Can also refer to a reference book on a specific subject (e.g., a dictionary of nursing).
The story behind the word. Derived from the Medieval Latin 'dictionarium', meaning a 'repertory of phrases or words'. It comes from 'dictio', which means 'a saying'.
Word relationships
- lexicon: Lexicon often refers to the vocabulary of a specific person or field.
- glossary: A glossary is a list of terms at the end of a specific book.
Commonly confused with
- thesaurus: A dictionary provides meanings; a thesaurus provides synonyms.
Collocations
- consult a dictionary
- bilingual dictionary
- online dictionary
Idioms & expressions
- a walking dictionary
Example sentences
- "I am not yet so lost in lexicography as to forget that words are the daughters of earth." Samuel Johnson's famous preface to his dictionary.
- "If you don't know what the word means, you should look it up in the dictionary." A student looking up an unfamiliar term.
Memory hook
A 'Dictionary' is a 'Diary' of 'Dictations' (words said). The book of sayings.
When not to use
Don't confuse with an 'encyclopedia', which provides detailed information on subjects rather than just word definitions.
Fun facts
- The first English dictionary was published in 1604 by Robert Cawdrey, but it only contained 2,500 words.
Explore more words
vocabulary, lexicon, translate, guidebook, multilingual, monograph
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