Online Dictionaries- The Webster Dictionaries

Webster is an extremely well known name in American dictionaries, and at various times there has been a lot of fuss over who had the right to use the name, and whose dictionary was most directly related to Noah Webster's original dictionaries. Merriam Webster is the company who gained the rights to Webster's original dictionaries, and publicizes itself as the true heir of Webster. However, the term Webster's Dictionary is now in the public domain, and a great many dictionaries now use Webster's as part of the name of their dictionary. Recently, the Random House unabridged dictionary changed its name to Random House Webster's, and Microsoft Encarta has become Encarta Webster's dictionary.

Merriam-Webster OnLine search allows you to freely search their Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, thesarus, Spanish-English dictionary and Medical dictionary. You can also subscribe to their unabridged dictionary, with more than 470,000 entries for $29.95, yearly, or $4.95 monthly. Access to the Encyclopedia Britannica is also available at $69.95 a year.

Selecting a word gives you the number of different definitions the word has, as well as its parts of speech, and its etymology. You click on each defintition separately for its meaning, and the meaning appears below an ad. An interesting feature of Merriam-Webster's site is the ability to double-click on any word in a definition and get a pop-up defining that word. Definitions also contain hyperlinks to other words used in a definition. At the bottom of a definition, Merriam-Webster gives a link to pronunciation symbols, the hyerlink text needed to create a link to the definition you are reading, and the proper style for MLA and APA citation of the definition.

They also offer a number of free features on their site, including word for the day, some features explicitly for children, and an Open Dictionary. The Open Dictionary is an unusual feature, allowing members of the public to suggest words they think should be added to the dictionary, and the ability to search to see what other words people have proposed.

They also offer free learner's tools to improve English skills. Merriam-Webster also has a free American English Learners Dictionary for ESL, EFL, and TOEFL students.

Wiley now publishes the Webster's New World Dictionary, and online searches of the dictionary can be made at YourDictionary.com.

This is the official dictionary used by the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and other major newspapers.

At YourDictionary, you get definitions, spelling, thesaurus entries, pronunciation and etymology for the word you enter. They also claim to find you the best dictionaries and translation sites for French, Spanish, Italian, and many other languages. They have glossaries for specialized vocabularies.

You can add Yourdictionary search to your Google homepage or on your browser.

It offers many Language translation tools, and extensive ESL resources.

There are numerous word games on the YourDictionary site, from expert crossword puzzles to to word games for children. As well, you can find a section on writing your name in exotic alphabets. I wrote mine in Hieroglyphics.

On the next page we look at two additional dictionaries based on the 1913 edition of Webster's Dictionary, which is now copyright free. These dictionaries both started with the 1913 dictionary, but they have added a great deal more to their dictionary offerings.