Dictionary

The online dictionary is the greatest tool or device since the electric screwdriver or the sulphur match or the application of novacaine or… well, you get the idea.  With the accompaniment or support of constantly improving, ever-evolving technology, the online dictionary lends greater to facility to looking up the spelling of a word you don’t know how to spell, looking up a related term when you don’t know the actual term but need to be led to the cross-reference (by way of intuitive software/technology), looking up a specific word or phrase that belongs to a select nomenclature—or jargon.  The dictionary or glossary that is specialized offers the browser hours of fascinating material.  The language dictionary provides imperative translation for communicating in this our now global village.  The online dictionary, thanks to creative, instructive, and progressive thinkers, can be fun, as well.

Here are some of the most useful, educational, engaging, and entertaining dictionaries on the net:

STANDARD/GENERAL DICTIONARIES

Macmillan English Dictionary (MED) http://www.macmillandictionary.com/resourcenew.htm

Merriam-Webster (Includes fun word-empowerment games…)
http://www.wordcentral.com/

Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/features/dictionaryalphabet2005.html



INTERACTIVE/EDUCATIONAL DICTIONARIES (and for word lovers/logophiles)

Dictionary of Difficult Words
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/dictionaries/difficultwords/

Online Etymology Dictionary
http://www.etymonline.com/

Onelook Reverse Dictionary (Describe concept, get word)
http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml


English Vocabulary Word Directory (Latin, Greek, Hebrew prefixes/suffixes…by thematic units)
http://www.wordquests.info/word-menu-grp-lists-directory.html


LANGUAGE/TRANSLATION DICTIONARIES

ARTFL Project: French-English Dictionary Form
http://humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/ARTFL/forms_unrest/FR-ENG.html

Dictionary of Spanish
http://www.nolo.com/glossary.cfm

English-Tagalog Dictionary
http://www.foreignword.com/dictionary/Tagalog/default.htm


Hindi Electronic Dictionary
http://www3.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~kmach/hnd_la-e.htm

Latin Dictionary and Grammar Aid
http://www.nd.edu/~archives/latgramm.htm

The New English-German Dictionary
http://www.iee.et.tu-dresden.de/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/wernerr/search.sh







SPECIALTY DICTIONARIES
Antique Collectors’ Dictionary
http://www.oldandsold.com/articles02/dictionary-g.shtml

Architecture Glossary (at about.com)
http://architecture.about.com/library/bl-glossary.htm

Biographical Dictionary (limited, but interesting….)
http://www.s9.com/

Free Online Rhyming Dictionary
http://www.rhymer.com/

Nolo: Legal Glossary
http://www.nolo.com/glossary.cfm

Online Medical Dictionary (Huge database)
http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?action=Home&query=

Online Etymology Dictionary
http://www.etymonline.com/

Online Symbolism Dictionary
http://www.scootermydaisyheads.com/fine_art/symbol_dictionary/dictionary.html

Webopedia: Online Computer Dictionary (Computer and Internet Technology)
http://www.webopedia.com/


COMPREHENSIVE DICTIONARIES (DICTIONARIES of DICTIONARIES)

Answers.com (dictionary, encyclopedia, and more…)
http://www.answers.com/

Blue Rider (Dictionary, Thesaurus, and More….  Includes links for History of the English Language)
 http://www.bluerider.com/english/

Hyperdictionary (English, computer, dream, medical dictionaries, and thesaurus.)
http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/
 

MSN Encarta (Dictionary, Encyclopedia, Atlas, Thesaurus…)
http://encarta.msn.com/

One Look Dictionary Search (Translations, definitions, dictionaries…)
http://www.onelook.com/


DICTIONARIES by SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Oxford English Dictionary (OED) (Every word, variant ever uttered; history/etymology; and literary and historical examples….  The best dictionary ever, but you gotta pay—except for the word of the day offering.)
http://www.oed.com/cgi/display/wotd

AND THE DICTIONARY OF ALL DICTIONARIES:
RefDesk.com
http://refdesk.com/