dictionary

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US /ˈdɪk.ʃən.er.i/ 
UK /ˈdɪk.ʃən.ər.i/ 

Oxford Essential Dictionary

dictionary

 noun (plural dictionaries)
a book that gives words from A to Z and explains what each word means:
Look up the words in your dictionary.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

dictionary

dictionary /ˈdɪkʃənəri $ -neri/ BrE AmE noun (plural dictionaries) [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: dictionarium, from Late Latin dictio 'word'; ⇨ ↑diction]
1. a book that gives a list of words in alphabetical order and explains their meanings in the same language, or another language:
a German – English dictionary
2. a book that explains the words and phrases used in a particular subject:
a science dictionary
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
use a dictionary We advise all our students to use a good dictionary.
look something up in a dictionary If you don’t understand the meaning of a word, look it up in a dictionary.
check a dictionary I often check the dictionary for spelling and pronunciation.
consult a dictionary formal (=check something in a dictionary) Consult the dictionary for examples of how a word is used.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + dictionary
a pocket dictionary (=small enough to be carried in your pocket) Pocket dictionaries don't always give you enough information.
an electronic dictionary (=small electronic machine containing a dictionary) Electronic dictionaries are very popular in Japan.
a bilingual dictionary (=with translations from one language into another) A bilingual dictionary is an essential purchase for anybody learning a foreign language.
a monolingual dictionary (=written in only one language) Monolingual dictionaries tend to have more examples than bilingual ones.
a picture dictionary (=containing a lot of pictures, especially for children or beginners in a language) The advantage of a picture dictionary is that you don't have lengthy definitions.
an online dictionary (=one you can use on the Internet) There are plenty of online dictionaries available free on the Internet.
an etymological dictionary (=showing the origin and history of words) Etymological dictionaries show how languages borrow words from each other.
■ dictionary + NOUN
a dictionary definition Clear dictionary definitions are what students look for.
a dictionary entry (=the definition and all the other information at a word) The introduction explains the functions of the different parts of a dictionary entry.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

dictionary

dic·tion·ary [dictionary dictionaries]   [ˈdɪkʃənri]    [ˈdɪkʃəneri]  noun (pl. dic·tion·aries)
1. a book that gives a list of the words of a language in alphabetical order and explains what they mean, or gives a word for them in a foreign language

a Spanish-English dictionary

2. a book that explains the words that are used in a particular subject

a dictionary of mathematics

3. a list of words in electronic form, for example stored in a computer's spellchecker  
Word Origin:
early 16th cent.: from medieval Latin dictionarium (manuale) or dictionarius (liber) ‘manual or book of words’, from Latin dictio, from dicere ‘to say’.  
Example Bank:
I couldn't find the word in the dictionary.
I decided to consult a medical dictionary.
If you don't know the meaning of a word, look it up in the dictionary.
You need a dictionary to understand what he's saying half the time.

a way of teaching children how to use dictionaries

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

dictionary / ˈdɪk.ʃ ə n. ə r.i /   / -er.i / noun [ C ]

A1 a book that contains a list of words in alphabetical order and that explains their meanings, or gives a word for them in another language; a similar product for use on a computer:

a French-English/English-French dictionary

a bilingual/monolingual dictionary

To check how a word is spelled, look it up in a dictionary.

a book that gives information about a particular subject, in which the entries (= words or phrases) are given in alphabetical order:

a biographical/science dictionary

a dictionary of quotations

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

dictionary

/dɪkʃənri, AM -neri/
(dictionaries)

A dictionary is a book in which the words and phrases of a language are listed alphabetically, together with their meanings or their translations in another language.
...a Welsh-English dictionary.

N-COUNT

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

dictionary

dic·tio·nary /ˈdɪkʃəˌneri, Brit ˈdɪkʃənri/ noun, pl -nar·ies [count]
1 : a reference book that contains words listed in alphabetical order and that gives information about the words' meanings, forms, pronunciations, etc.
• an English dictionary
• Look it up in the dictionary.
2 : a reference book that lists in alphabetical order the words of one language and shows their meanings or translations in a different language
• an English-French dictionary
3 : a reference book that lists in alphabetical order words that relate to a particular subject along with their definitions and uses
• a law dictionary
• a dictionary of medicine