dictionary
DIHK-shuh-nuh-ree
Dictionary (noun) means a reference book that lists words alphabetically along with their meanings, pronunciations, and other details. Example: “I checked the spelling in my dictionary before writing the final letter.”
noun
1
A reference book that lists words alphabetically along with their meanings, pronunciations, and other details.
"I checked the spelling in my dictionary before writing the final letter."
"She looked up the word in an online dictionary."
"The old dictionary on the shelf was falling apart from years of use."
2
In computing, a data structure that stores values under unique keys for quick lookup.
"You can add a new entry to the dictionary by choosing a unique key."
"Looking up a value in a dictionary is much faster than scanning a long list."
"The program stores user settings in a dictionary keyed by username."
How to use dictionary
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA book (or app, or data structure) that looks things up by matching a word or key to its meaning or value.
Common pairings
look it up in a dictionary
a pocket dictionary
a dictionary entry
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Word forms
- Plural
- dictionaries
- Third person singular
- dictionaries
- Past tense
- dictionaried
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I checked the spelling in my _____ before writing the final letter.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin dictionarium, built on Latin dictio ("a speaking, a word") plus -arium, meaning "a place for."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for dictionary
See all rhymes for dictionary →Frequently asked questions
What does “dictionary” mean?
The word “dictionary” means a reference book that lists words alphabetically along with their meanings, pronunciations, and other details. In plain terms, a book (or app, or data structure) that looks things up by matching a word or key to its meaning or value.
How do you pronounce “dictionary”?
“Dictionary” is pronounced DIHK-shuh-nuh-ree (/ˈdɪk.ʃəˌnɛ.ɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “dictionary” in a sentence?
Here is “dictionary” used in a sentence: “She looked up the word in an online dictionary.”
What is another word for “dictionary”?
Words with a similar meaning to “dictionary” include dict, dict., explanatory dictionary, interpreter and lexicon.
What part of speech is “dictionary”?
“Dictionary” is a noun.
Where does the word “dictionary” come from?
The word “dictionary” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin dictionarium, built on Latin dictio ("a speaking, a word") plus -arium, meaning "a place for.".
Is “dictionary” a common word?
“Dictionary” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “dictionary” have?
“Dictionary” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a reference book that lists words alphabetically along with their meanings, pronunciations, and other details.
What is the difference between a dictionary and a thesaurus?
A dictionary lists words alphabetically and explains their meanings, pronunciations, and other details, while a thesaurus groups words by meaning and lists synonyms and antonyms. You use a dictionary to find out what a word means and a thesaurus to find a different word for the same idea.
What is the difference between a dictionary and an encyclopedia?
A dictionary explains words — their meanings, spellings, and pronunciations — while an encyclopedia explains subjects, giving detailed articles about people, places, events, and concepts. In short, a dictionary answers questions about language and an encyclopedia answers questions about the world.
What is a dictionary in programming?
In computing, a dictionary is a data structure that stores values under unique keys so they can be looked up quickly. Depending on the programming language, the same structure may be called a map, a hash table, or an associative array.
What is the plural of dictionary?
The plural of dictionary is "dictionaries." Because the word ends in a consonant plus -y, the -y changes to -ies in the plural, following the same pattern as "library" becoming "libraries."
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