slovník

Slovník is the term used in Czech and Slovak to denote a dictionary, a reference work that lists words and their meanings, often including pronunciations, usage notes, and grammatical information. The concept covers a range of dictionaries designed to explain language, from single-language lexicons to bilingual and multilingual dictionaries.

Dictionaries come in several types. Monolingual slovníky describe a single language’s vocabulary, providing definitions, pronunciation guides, inflection, and examples. Bilingual and multilingual dictionaries translate words between languages. Specialized dictionaries focus on particular domains such as chemistry, medicine, law, or slang. Learner’s dictionaries are tailored for language learners, with simplified definitions and usage examples. In the digital era, many dictionaries are available online or as apps, often with search tools, audio pronunciations, and frequency data.

A typical dictionary entry includes a lemma (the base form of the word), pronunciation, part of speech, one or more definitions, usage notes, and examples. Additional information may include etymology, synonyms, antonyms, collocations, and inflected forms. Cross-references to related entries and usage guidance for different registers are common features.

Historically, the Czech dictionary tradition includes the landmark Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, compiled starting in the early 19th century, which helped standardize modern Czech. In Slovak, dictionaries developed alongside broader standardization of the language in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, slovníky remain essential tools for language study, writing, translation, and linguistic research, with extensive corpora and digital resources supporting contemporary lexicography.