Dictionaries

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Here are the current top-selling dictionaries in book form, plus electronic dictionaries and dictionary software (especially good for unabridged dictionaries!), that can help you as a writer. These include general dictionaries and specialized dictionaries on medicine, law, business, telecom, the military, and other disciplines...not to mention specialized dictionaries for writers, such as rhyming dictionaries, reverse dictionaries, slang dictionaries, and dictionaries of obscure words. As you'd expect, there are dictionaries of American and British English (separate and combined), as well as Canadian English.

You may want to have a look at our thesaurus page as well.

Electronic Dictionaries, Handhelds, and Dictionary Software


1.		Sharp Electronics PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary from Sharp Price: $73.24 Customer Review: Wow! I just got my new pocket dictionary, Sharp's PW - E550. I put it through the paces and in came up with flying marks. Easy to use and navigate. Great keyboard and the zoom feature on the screen is a real eye saver, especially when you've been reading or studying for hours. When you look up a... more info	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


2.		Franklin DBE-1490 Merriam-Webster Spanish-English Dictionary from Franklin Electronics Price: $46.73 Customer Review: I like it. It's much better than the one I had before. Good price, good product	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


3.		The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Price: $36.00 Customer Review: This is a big book, but a great one. It has loads of illustrations and pictures. I also bought the M-W 11th Collegiate as a companion. The pictures-in-the-margins format takes some getting used to, but all-in-all this is a comprehensive and wonderful reference book.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


4.		12 Language Talking Translator Foreign Pocket Electronic Speaking Dictionary from SVAT Electronics Customer Review: 12 Language Talking Translator Foreign Pocket Electronic Speaking Dictionary Was most beneficial on our recent trip to Europe	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


5.		Franklin SPELLING CORRECTOR from Franklin Electronics Price: $13.88 Customer Review: I got electronic dictionaries that my sons love to use. What a great deal! And the seller was very helpful in making sure we got the delivery.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


6.		Franklin KID-1240 Children's Talking Dictionary and Spell Corrector from Franklin Electronics Price: $39.99 Customer Review: All my kids use it, and it is helping them Kids age are 8, 11, 17.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


7.		Franklin TG-450 12 Language Translator from Franklin Electronics Price: $30.53 Customer Review: I received the item in the U.S. and it worked perfectly, however, when I flied overseas the device had stopped working. All of the elements seemed to be intact, so I assumed it had to be the batteries. Unfortunately, when I changed the batteries it was not able to turn on. Which brings me to the... more info	Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


8.		Franklin MWD-1490 Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus with Comprehensive Reference Set from Franklin Electronics Price: $56.99 Customer Review: GREAT Quality/Price and Delivery. The product is all it says it is! Keys are a good size and the database is detailed and complete. Thank you.	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


9.		Nyrius Global ENTOURAGE7 Talking Travel Translator for 7 International Languages from SVAT Electronics Price: $29.99 Customer Review: The unit was up and running with correct time and date showing in very short order, step by step instruction paper is quick and easy to follow. Instruction sheet leads you through all the needed setup items, although one item on the sheet is wrong.. The "To adjust the LCD contrast"... more info	Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


10.		Franklin Electronic Publishers BES-1890 Speaking Spanish-English Dictionary from Franklin Electronics Price: $80.09 Customer Review: The Franklin Speaking Spanish-English Dictionary that I purchased is a great product. I have recommended that co-workers purchase the item.	Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


11.		Franklin SCD-1890 Speaking Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition from Franklin Electronics Price: $81.90 Customer Review: "speller & dictionary in one and talks to me" Small enough to put in my purse or pocket. Large enough to see the words. Talks to me to says the words - mostly clear. Regular batteries that I can buy.	Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


12.		Franklin HW-1216 Children's Speller and Dictionary from Franklin Electronics Price: $17.99 Customer Review: I bought this for my 7-year-old daughter so that I wouldn't have to constantly help her spell words. But the spell checker on this is very weak. There have been numerous times she'd spell a word phonetically and the suggested word list of correctly spelled words was nowhere near the word she was... more info	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


13.		Nyrius Global ENTOURAGE11 Talking Travel Translator for 11 International Languages from SVAT Electronics Price: $39.99 Customer Review: Works well, good quality, easy to use and accurate accents for each language, but not a translator at all. Just pre-stored phrase holder. Misleading description. Disappointing in terms of not what I expected.	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


14.		Franklin BFQ-450 Larousse French/English Dictionary from Franklin Electronics Customer Review: I was very disappointed with this dictionary. I have just come back from Asia, where extremely elegant, sophisticated and versatile electronic dictionaries set a high standard. It's common to find high resolution backlit touch screens and multiple languages, as well as context-sensitive glosses on... more info	Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


15.		Franklin Merriam-Webster ((Speaking)) Spanish-English Dictionary (BES-1850) from Franklin Electronics Customer Review: My husband and I are in Language School studying Spanish this year and we each have one of these. We use them all the time and really love them. The Franklin BES-1850 seems to have most every word we need as well as the conjugation of verbs and several other features, too. The back light for the... more info	Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


16.		Franklin MWD-460 Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus from Franklin Electronics Price: $34.28 Customer Review: I am very disappointed with my Franklin MWD-460. I bought it to use for looking up unfamiliar words encountered while reading. The device is almost useless for this purpose because the words that I try to use it for are not stored in it. It appears to be usefull only for very common words which I... more info	Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


17.		SVAT Electronics LT12 Global Talking Translator for 12 Languages from Nyrius Price: Too low to display Customer Review: I took this on a 3-week trip to a Spanish speaking country and found it to be absolutely useless. Not only did it freeze up on occasion requiring the batteries to be removed and reset before it would turn on again... and then all settings reset as well - but it was not useful as an aid for even... more info	Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


18.		Franklin MWS-1840 Speaking Merriam Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus from Franklin Electronics Price: $69.02 Customer Review: this is a tremendous help when learning phonics without the help of a professional teacher. it is definately a must have!	Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


19.		Merriam Websters Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus 11th Edition from Fogware Publishing Price: $19.99 Customer Review: I bought this to update a version that came packaged in the hardbound dictionary. It is fast, clear, and easy to use. It can be opened and left in the background in the icon tray, task bar, or as a floating icon. When this is done, any word in just about any application can be highlighted; then... more info	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


20.		Franklin LM6000b Speaking Language Master from Franklin Electronics Price: $106.36 Customer Review: Works well and is easy to use. My son really like the language/spelling games.	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information

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Dictionaries in Book Form


1.		Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 21st Edition (Thumb Index Version) from F A Davis Co Price: $33.56 Customer Review: This dictionary give more than definitions and meanings. It give signs and symptoms to the related condition, the diagnostic investigations and the required care for most conditions.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


2.		Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (Red Kivar Binding with Jacket) from Merriam-Webster Price: $16.29 Customer Review: The dictionary has the 'new' words from this current time in history that my old one does not, and I bought a new one for that reason.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


3.		The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary from Merriam-Webster Price: $16.47 Customer Review: Lots of new words that were not recognized in the prior edition. Takes the game to new level of play and learning.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


4.		Catholic Bible Dictionary from Doubleday Religion Price: $29.70 Customer Review: I'm very pleased to present The Catholic Bible Dictionary after working on it for a number of years with a team of colleagues and friends. The book is a reference work aimed at highly motivated Catholic lay people who are intent on a lifetime of Scripture reading and study. I hope it will also be a... more info	Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


5.		Merriam-Webster's Spanish-English Dictionary from Merriam-Webster Price: $6.50 Customer Review: This dictionary was highly recommended by my instructor who has taught Spanish for over 25 years.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


6.		The Merriam-Webster English Dictionary from Cengage Learning Price: $6.50 Customer Review: I can't believe I paid more for shipping and handling than the actual price. it arrived sooner than expected.	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


7.		Black's Law Dictionary: Deluxe Thumb-Index from Gale Cengage Price: $115.00 Customer Review: Although I am just starting out in my Paralegal studies, this book appears to be a valuable resource. I have seen versions of this book in the offices of attorneys I have visited, which leads me to believe that I will be referencing this book throughout my career.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


8.		Mo' Urban Dictionary: Ridonkulous Street Slang Defined from Andrews McMeel Publishing Price: $10.18 Customer Review: I like this book because I have teens so this book gives me insite to a different lingo.	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


9.		The Dickson Baseball Dictionary: (Third Edition) from W.W. Norton & Co. Price: $32.97 Customer Review: Great for my knowledge even if it was the 1989 edition and not really "like new". But it was still ok!	Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


10.		The Million Word Crossword Dictionary from Collins Price: $14.81 Customer Review: I ordered this book knowing it was used. When it came, it looked just fine and I'm generally pleased. However, some pages were missing -- not torn out, just never inserted. I contacted the seller who refunded my money since they didn't have another copy. Fair enough. There's no way they could have... more info	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


11.		Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health Professions (Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions) from Mosby Price: $32.40 Customer Review: Great book for anyone studying or working in health related field. A very valuable resource for health student.	Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


12.		Merriam-Webster Children's Dictionary from DK CHILDREN Price: $14.95 Customer Review: Merriam-Webster Children's DictionaryI bought this with some trepidation as a gift for an eight-year-old boy whose primary interests, I had been told, involved sports activities that kept him moving. I thought he would hate it, but that he might somehow find it useful for school. And I hoped that... more info	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


13.		Merriam-webster's Pocket Dictionary from Merriam-Webster Price: $5.95 Customer Review: I think that this is a good size dictionary to take around with you. It has nearly all the words you can think of packed inside this one book. I would recommend this to the people who wants to have a dictionary at their finger tips at all times...	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


14.		Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Laminated Cover) (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Laminated)) from Merriam-Webster Price: $8.47 Customer Review: This dictionary is a great tool for any student or classroom. Sturdy construction and easy to read type make it a great addition to the book shelf.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


15.		Black's Law Dictionary (Pocket), 3rd Edition from Thomson West Price: $31.50 Customer Review: I think I should have just bought the full-sized dictionary for my desk at home, as not all words/phrases are included in this one...a little extra money seems worth it, although, then I could not carry this around in my backpack.	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


16.		Urban Dictionary: Fularious Street Slang Defined from Andrews McMeel Publishing Price: $10.18 Customer Review: I was recently in a show with a local theatre and bought this book as a gift for my friend to keep in the mens dressing room. It was an absolute hit. We've had a great time flipping through and picking out different phrases like "ricokulous" and "soup to nuts" urban dictionary is awsome!!!!	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


17.		New Comprehensive A-Z Crossword Dictionary from Avon Price: $7.99 Customer Review: This is the 2nd time I've purchased this dictionary because I wore out my 1st copy. I own Merriam-Webster's Crossword Puzzle Dictionary as well, but it's no where near as helpful. I can't count the number of times I've found a word and said out loud, "I can't believe it's in here!" I highly... more info	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


18.		Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms (Barron's Finance and Investment Handbook) from Barron's Educational Series Customer Review: I am currently taking managerial finance and this book is a great source for all the different meanings that you will find in different sources.	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information


19.		Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary with CD-ROM from Saunders Price: $35.94 Customer Review: This is my 1st medical dictionary, so I have nothing to compare. I love all the charts! There is soo much information that I believe this is a great book to have for any medical field.	Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 Click here for more information


20.		Webster's New World Medical Dictionary, Fully Revised and Updated from Webster's New World Price: $9.74 Customer Review: I read the reviews saying not all the important words were there but somehow I wanted to try myself. Unfortunatly that was true. I did not find many words there and I had to buy another one. However, If you find what you need in it, the definitions are excellent. (A general worker in Health care... more info	Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 Click here for more information