dictionary

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   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.

   If you want to know the meaning of a word, look it up in the dictionary.

2. 2
   noun

   A reference work on a particular subject or activity in which the entries are arranged alphabetically; an alphabetical encyclopedia.

   a law dictionary

3. 3
   noun

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

   Look it up in the dictionary, and what do you find?

4. 4
   noun

   An associative array, or a data structure where each value is referenced by a particular key, analogous to words and definitions in a dictionary (noun sense 1).

   User calls RouteCollection.GetVirtualPath, passing in a RequestContext, a dictionary of values, and an optional route name used to select the correct route to generate the URL.

5. 5
   verb

   To add to a dictionary.

   By a reference to the following dictionaried abbreviations, the simplicity and harmony of each sentence will be manifestly apparent; although it does not embrace everything, and could not, as it would be far too voluminous for general use.

6. 6
   verb

   To compile a dictionary.

   They [dictionary-makers] may have had their romance at home—may have been crossed in love, and thence driven to dictionarying; may have been involved in domestic tragedies—who can say?

7. 7
   name

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

   His friends called him "Dictionary." There were other names they called him that were far worse.

8. 8
   noun

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

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- Proto-Indo-European *déyḱeti Proto-Italic *deikō Medieval Latin dīcō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Medieval Latin -tiō Medieval Latin dictiō Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Medieval Latin -ārius Medieval 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 s…