diccionario

A dictionary is a reference work or online resource that lists words of a language and provides information about their meaning, pronunciation, usage, etymology, and other linguistic data. It may include example sentences, grammatical information, and notes on style or regional variation.

The term dictionary comes from Latin dictionarium, from dictio “speech” and dicere “to say.” The practice of compiling word lists goes back to ancient glossaries, while in the Spanish tradition the Diccionario de la lengua española has been published by the Real Academia Española since 1780, with later editions expanding and modernizing the work.

Dictionaries vary in purpose and scope. Monolingual dictionaries define words in a single language; bilingual or multilingual dictionaries provide translations; specialized dictionaries cover domains such as science or law; learner’s dictionaries are designed for language learners. A typical entry includes the headword, pronunciation, part of speech, senses with definitions, etymology, usage notes, examples, and cross-references. Many entries also include synonyms, antonyms, and information about inflected forms.

Beyond definitions, dictionaries document how words are used and how their meanings may change over time. They serve writers, students, translators, editors, and researchers, and they can reflect prescriptive or descriptive approaches to language.

In the digital era, online and mobile dictionaries supplement or replace print editions. They commonly use corpus data, include audio pronunciations, usage examples, frequency information, and search tools. Access may be free or subscription-based, and open or crowd-sourced projects also exist.