dictionary

Pluraldictionaries

Formsdictionaries, dictionarying, dictionaried

1. 1
   word booknouncountable

   A book, website or app that lists words in order and explains what they mean or gives them in another language.

   Like a big list that tells you what every word means.

   I looked up the new word in my dictionary.

   Every classroom had a dictionary on the shelf.

   UsageYou look up a word in a dictionary.

2. 2
   subject referencenouncountable

   A book about one topic that lists its facts in order from A to Z.

   Like an encyclopedia, but about just one topic.

   She bought a dictionary of music to learn the terms.

   He keeps a medical dictionary next to his desk.

   UsageSay a dictionary of music or a science dictionary.

   Similarencyclopedia, glossary, lexicon

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountablecomputing

   A saved list of words that a computer program compares text with, for spelling, suggesting words, or guessing passwords.

   My phone kept marking my last name as wrong, so I added it to the dictionary.

   The hacker's program tried every word in a huge dictionary to guess the password.

   UsageYou can add a word to the dictionary of a spell checker.

   Note
4. 4
   source of knowledgenounfigurativelycountable

   A person or thing that seems to know or hold a huge amount of information.

   Like a friend who always seems to know the answer to everything.

   Grandpa is a walking dictionary of old family stories.

   My aunt is a walking dictionary when it comes to garden plants.

   UsageSay someone is a walking dictionary.

   Similarencyclopedia, storehouse, repository

5. 5
   vocabularynouncountablewith ofpossessive

   All the words that one person knows or uses.

   Like a personal box of words you carry around in your head.

   The word 'sorry' just isn't in his dictionary.

   Patience is one word you will never find in my brother's dictionary.

   UsageSay a word is not in someone's dictionary when they never say, do or accept it: 'sorry' is not in his dictionary.

   Similarvocabulary, lexicon

6. 6
   data structurenouncountable

   A way of storing information in a computer so each piece has its own name you use to find it.

   Like a locker room: each locker has a number, and the number leads you straight to what's inside.

   Save each user's score in a dictionary so you can find it by name.

   A dictionary lets the program look up a phone number by the person's name.

   Similarmap

   Note

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