DICTIONARY

dictionary, lexicon

(noun) a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

dictionary (plural dictionaries)

A reference work with a list of words from one or more languages, normally ordered alphabetically, explaining each word's meaning, and sometimes containing information on its etymology, pronunciation, usage, translations, and other data.

Synonym: wordbook

(preceded by the) A synchronic dictionary of a standardised language held to only contain words that are properly part of the language.

(by extension) Any work that has a list of material organized alphabetically; e.g, biographical dictionary, encyclopedic dictionary.

(computing) An associative array, a data structure where each value is referenced by a particular key, analogous to words and definitions in a physical dictionary.

Hyponym: hash table

Verb

dictionary (third-person singular simple present dictionaries, present participle dictionarying, simple past and past participle dictionaried)

(transitive) To look up in a dictionary.

(transitive) To add to a dictionary.

(intransitive, rare) To compile a dictionary.

Anagrams

• indicatory

Etymology

Proper noun

Dictionary

Nickname for a swot or studious person, or one who uses needlessly complicated words.

Anagrams

• indicatory

Source: Wiktionary

Dic"tion*a*ry, n.; pl. Dictionaries. Etym: [Cf. F. dictionnaire. See Diction.]

1. A book containing the words of a language, arranged alphabetically, with explanations of their meanings; a lexicon; a vocabulary; a wordbook. I applied myself to the perusal of our writers; and noting whatever might be of use to ascertain or illustrate any word or phrase, accumulated in time the materials of a dictionary. Johnson.

2. Hence, a book containing the words belonging to any system or province of knowledge, arranged alphabetically; as, a dictionary of medicine or of botany; a biographical dictionary.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition