dictionary
Meanings
Plural: dictionaries
Noun
- a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them
- A reference work listing words or names from one or more languages, usually ordered alphabetically, explaining each word's meanings or senses, oftentimes also containing information on its etymology, pronunciation, usage, semantic relations, translations, as well as other relevant information.
- A reference work on a particular subject or activity in which the entries are arranged alphabetically; an alphabetical encyclopedia.
- A person or thing regarded as a repository or compendium of information.
- The collection of words used or understood by a particular person; vocabulary.
- A synchronic dictionary of a standardised language held to only contain words that are properly part of the language.
- An associative array, a data structure where each value is referenced by a particular key, analogous to words and definitions in a dictionary (sense 1).
Verb
- To look up in a dictionary.
- To add to a dictionary.
- To compile a dictionary.
Origin / Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ-
Proto-Indo-European *déyḱti
Proto-Italic *deikō
Latin dīcō
Proto-Indo-European *-tisder.
Proto-Italic *-tjō
Latin -tiō
Latin dictiō
Proto-Indo-European *-yósder.
Proto-Italic *-āsios
Latin -ārium
Medieval Latin dictiōnāriumlbor.
Middle English dixionare
English dictionary
From Middle English dixionare, a learned borrowing from Medieval Latin dictiōnārium, from Latin dictiōnārius, from dictiō (“a speaking”), from dictus, perfect past participle of dīcō (“to speak”) + -ārium (“room, place”). By surface analysis, diction + -ary.
Synonyms
dict, dict., dictionary, explanatory dictionary, interpreter, lexicon
Scrabble Score: 16
dictionary is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL worddictionary is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
dictionary is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary