Dictionaries and Thesauri

The primary use of a dictionary is to give definitions, spelling, and pronunciation of words.  In addition to the general English language dictionary, there are many different types, including:  foreign language, historical, geographical, slang, and synonyms.  In addition, many dictionaries contain additional features such as:  signs and symbols, historic documents, style manuals, and gazetteers.  Some dictionaries include charts, tables and illustrations embedded in the entries.  Many, including Webster's Third New International Dictionary and the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, have CD- or DVD-ROM versions also.

A thesaurus lists synonyms for words and is a useful tool for writers.  Many desk, or collegiate, dictionaries have electronic equivalents with an added thesaurus.  (By the way, remember that your word processing program includes a thesaurus.)  When evaluating both dictionaries and thesauri, look at what the entries include and examine the arrangement of information in each.  Is it laid out in a manner that is easy to understand?  How easy is an electronic version to use?  Does a thesaurus provide enough synonyms to meet the writer's needs?

While currency is important for dictionaries, you don't have to purchase a new one every year.  Your library should have at least one collegiate dictionary that was published in the past five years.  Thesauri do not demand the same level of currency, but it is helpful to have one published within the last 20 years.

Authority is as important in dictionaries as in any other reference source.  Being able to recognize major dictionary publishers is the easiest and most reliable way to tell which dictionaries you want to trust.  Because the Webster name has become almost synonymous with dictionaries, it is used by a number of publishers to capitalize on the familiarity of the name.  However, Merriam-Webster is the largest and most reputable of the U.S. dictionary publishers, regardless of the type of dictionary (general, geographical, biographical, or a thesaurus).  Some of the additional reliable American publishers are Oxford University Press, Random House, Macmillan, and American Heritage.  Because dictionaries are published for both American English and British English, be sure you know which you have or need.

Webster's Third New International Dictionary.  3rd ed.  Merriam-Webster Inc., 1961.
The definitive unabridged dictionary of the English language, originally published in 1961, contains more than 450,000 words.  CD-ROM versions have added about 22,000 new words.  Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed. rev.  Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003) is based on the unabridged third edition and features more than 215,000 definitions.  It includes biographical and geographical names, abbreviations, foreign words and phrases.  The CD-ROM version (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus) contains audio pronunciations and can be installed on your computer's hard drive for easy access.  The Web version, http://www.m-w.com, may be accessed at no cost; it has a clear design and is user friendly.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary.  2nd ed.  Random House, 1993.
This dictionary was the first serious competitor to the Webster's unabridged, although it contains fewer entries.  A subset of the Random House Unabridged is the Random House Webster's College Dictionary.  It contains more words than any of the other major desk dictionaries; it is a good source for new words, as it is updated annually.  Both the abridged and unabridged editions are available on CD-ROM with audio pronunciations.

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.  4th ed.  Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
The American Heritage dictionaries are among the most highly regarded and are known for the number and clarity of their illustrations.  In addition to print format, this dictionary is available on CD-ROM and on the Web at: www.bartleby.com and in EBSCO's MasterFILE Premier. 

Oxford English Dictionary.  2nd ed.  Oxford University Press, 1989.
No discussion of dictionaries would be complete without mentioning the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the accepted authority on the evolution of the English language.  This 20-volume set is too costly for smaller libraries, but all library staff should be aware of its value in tracing the meaning, history, and pronunciation of virtually all English words, past and present.  The Second Edition of the OED is currently available in a print edition, on CD-ROM, and now also online by subscription at: http://www.oed.com. 

Roget's  II: The New Thesaurus.  3rd ed.  Houghton Mifflin, 1995.
The most accessible and easy-to-use thesaurus available, "Roget's II" includes 35,000 synonyms, alphabetically arranged and fully cross-referenced, with all the features that have made Roget's a trusted name for over 100 years.  In addition, the online version at: http://www.bartleby.com has a hyperlinked category index.

Macmillan Dictionary for Children.  The Macmillan Company, 2000.
Written for grades 2 through 6, this dictionary has about 35,000 entries, and 1,000 illustrations.  It contains simple definitions with clarifying phrases and sentences, and includes maps and other supplementary material.  A CD-ROM version is available with irregular updates.

LiLI offers Webster's New World Dictionary and Webster's New World Thesaurus, 3rd ed. on the eLibrary databases.  EBSCO's Searchasaurus and Primary Search make available the American Heritage Children's Dictionary, 3rd ed.

Click the arrow below to continue to the next page