# dictionary

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdɪk.ʃə.nə.ɹi/ · frequency rank #6,891

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. A reference work on a particular subject or activity in which the entries are arranged alphabetically; an alphabetical encyclopedia.
3. A person or thing regarded as a repository or compendium of information.
4. The collection of words used or understood by a particular person; vocabulary.
5. A synchronic dictionary of a standardised language held to only contain words that are properly part of the language.
6. An associative array, a data structure where each value is referenced by a particular key, analogous to words and definitions in a dictionary (noun sense 1).

## 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 *-āsios
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 surface analysis, diction + -ary.

## Common misspellings (15)
`dcitionary`, `ddictionary`, `dicctionary`, `dicitonary`, `dictinoary`, `dictioanry`, `dictionarry`, `dictionaryy`, `dictionayr`, `dictionnary`, `dictionray`, `dictoinary`, `dicttionary`, `ditcionary`, `idctionary`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dictionary