Dictionary
/ˈdɪkʃənəri/
Definitions
2 meaningsA reference book providing information about words, including their definitions, pronunciations, etymologies, and sometimes synonyms and antonyms.
/ˈdɪkʃənəri/
A book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language (typically in alphabetical order) and gives their meanings, pronunciations, etymologies, etc.
I looked up the word 'ubiquitous' in the dictionary.
💡 Simply: Think of a dictionary as a word-detective. It helps you find out what words mean, how to say them, and sometimes even where they came from. It's like having a secret codebook for words!
👶 For kids: A book that tells you what words mean and how to say them.
More Examples
She used a dictionary to check the spelling of the word.
The dictionary provided multiple definitions for the word.
How It's Used
"Students often consult a dictionary when they encounter unfamiliar words."
"A bilingual dictionary can be a valuable tool for language learners."
A collection of words or terms, typically organized in a structured way (e.g., as key-value pairs).
/ˈdɪkʃənəri/
A collection of words or terms.
The Python dictionary stored data in a key-value format.
💡 Simply: Imagine a digital box where you put things inside and label them. If you want to find something, you use the label to find it, kind of like in your toy box.
👶 For kids: A special box to put things in, with labels so you can find them again.
More Examples
The data dictionary described the fields in the database.
How It's Used
"The programming language Python has dictionaries, that store data in key-value pairs."
"A data dictionary helps analysts interpret data from large datasets."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
a picture is worth a thousand words
Visual information is often more valuable than textual descriptions.
"Instead of trying to describe the landscape, she simply showed a picture – a picture is worth a thousand words."
From Medieval Latin *dictionarium*, derived from *dictio* ('a saying, a word'), which comes from Latin *dicere* ('to say'). The first English dictionary was published in 1604.
Dictionaries have existed for centuries, initially as glossaries to help readers understand difficult words. The development of printing significantly aided in the wider availability of dictionaries.
Memory tip
Imagine a 'dictate' from the past becoming your guide to the future: a 'dictionary' is your source for word knowledge.
Word Origin
"collection of words"