{{short description|Online dictionary}} {{use mdy dates |date=October 2023}} {{Italic title}} {{Infobox website | name = ''Dictionary.com'' | logo = Dictionary.com new logo 2020.svg | url = {{URL|https://dictionary.com/}} | commercial = Yes | type = Dictionary | language = English | owner = IXL Learning | author = {{ubl|Brian Kariger|Daniel Fierro}} | launch_date = {{start date and age|1995|5|14}} }} '''''Dictionary.com''''' is an online dictionary whose domain was first registered on May 14, 1995. The primary content on ''Dictionary.com'' is a proprietary dictionary based on the ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'', with editors for the site providing new and updated definitions.<ref name=ibtimes.com>{{cite web |url=https://www.ibtimes.com/deep-web-revenge-porn-microaggression-are-just-some-dictionarycoms-latest-additions-1918550 |title=Deep Web, Revenge Porn And Microaggression Are Just Some of Dictionary.com's Latest Additions |last=Herman |first=Barbara |date=May 12, 2015 |website=International Business Times |access-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408014356/https://www.ibtimes.com/deep-web-revenge-porn-microaggression-are-just-some-dictionarycoms-latest-additions-1918550 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/09/03/909494937/dictionary-coms-largest-update-re-defines-thousands-of-words-focusing-on-identit |title=Dictionary.com's Largest Update (Re)defines Thousands Of Words, Focusing On Identity |date=2020-09-03 |access-date=2021-04-16 |website=NPR |last=Treisman |first=Rachel |archive-date=2022-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425080711/https://www.npr.org/2020/09/03/909494937/dictionary-coms-largest-update-re-defines-thousands-of-words-focusing-on-identit|url-status=live}}</ref> Supplementary content comes from the ''Collins English Dictionary'', ''American Heritage Dictionary'' and others.<ref name=cjr.org>{{cite web |url=https://www.cjr.org/language_corner/dictionary-oed-m-w-new-words.php |title=Dictionaries recently added more than 1,500 words. Here are some new entries |last=Perlman |first=Merrill |date=April 29, 2019 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |access-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-date=April 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425080711/https://www.cjr.org/language_corner/dictionary-oed-m-w-new-words.php |url-status=live}}</ref> It is owned by IXL Learning.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Latham & Watkins Advises IXL Learning in Acquisition of Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com |url=https://www.lw.com/en/news/2024/04/latham-watkins-advises-ixl-learning-in-acquisition-of-dictionarycom-and-thesauruscom |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=www.lw.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Caffrey |first=Michelle |date=2024-04-02 |title=K-12 Dealmaking: IXL Acquires Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com; EdLight Raises $4M Round |url=https://marketbrief.edweek.org/strategy-operations/k-12-dealmaking-ixl-acquires-dictionary-com-and-thesaurus-com-edlight-raises-4m-round/2024/04 |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Marketbrief |language=en}}</ref>
==History== ''Dictionary.com'' was founded by Brian Kariger and Daniel Fierro as part of Lexico Publishing, which also started ''Thesaurus.com'' and Reference.com.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lexico, Dictionary.com Being Acquired By Ask.com; Price In $100 Million Range |url=http://gigaom.com/2008/05/15/419-lexico-dictionarycom-being-acquired-by-askcom-after-100-million-answers/ |publisher=Gigacom |first1=Staci D. |last1=Kramer |date=May 15, 2008 |access-date=2014-01-24 |archive-date=2021-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117222013/https://gigaom.com/2008/05/15/419-lexico-dictionarycom-being-acquired-by-askcom-after-100-million-answers/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> At the time of its launch, it was one of the web's first in-depth reference sites.<ref name=WallStreetJournal>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/defining-moment-for-dictionary-com-its-for-sale-1522085400 |url-access=subscription |title=Defining Moment for Dictionary.com - It's For Sale |last=Alpert |first=Lukas |date=March 26, 2018 |website=Wall Street Journal |access-date=March 17, 2020 |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408014355/https://www.wsj.com/articles/defining-moment-for-dictionary-com-its-for-sale-1522085400 |url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2008, Lexico Publishing Group, LLC, was acquired by Ask.com, an IAC company,<ref>{{cite news |last=Auchard |first=Eric |date=July 4, 2008 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ask-dictionary-idUSN0337985120080703 |title=Ask.com closes acquisition of Dictionary.com |publisher=Reuters |access-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408015859/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ask-dictionary-idUSN0337985120080703 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ovide |first=Shira |date=2008-05-15 |title=IAC to Buy Lexico to Boost Its Ask.com |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121082240023594593 |access-date=2025-03-06 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> and renamed Dictionary.com, LLC.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/891103/000104746913005526/a2214555zex-3_13.htm |title=Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of Dictionary.com, LLC |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |date=July 17, 2008 |access-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-date=October 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006131528/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/891103/000104746913005526/a2214555zex-3_13.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, IAC sold Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com to Rock Holdings.<ref name=wkycstudios/> At the time of the sale, Dictionary.com was the 447th most trafficked website in the United States, according to the website tracking service SimilarWeb.<ref name=wkycstudios>{{cite web |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/nba/cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-owner-dan-gilbert-just-dipped-into-the-online-dictionary-thesaurus-business/95-614972691 |title= Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert just dipped into the online dictionary, thesaurus business |last=Reindl |first=JC |date=November 15, 2018 |website=WKYC Studios}}</ref> In 2015, they estimated that there are 5.5 billion word searches a year on its site.<ref name=chicagotribune>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-mx-pronoun-added-to-dictionary-balancing-heidi-stevens-1111-20151111-column.html |title='Mx.' instead of 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.?' It's in the dictionary now |last=Stevens |first=Heidi |date=November 11, 2015 |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408014358/https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-mx-pronoun-added-to-dictionary-balancing-heidi-stevens-1111-20151111-column.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2024, Rock Holdings sold Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com to IXL Learning.<ref name=":0" />
In July 2025, the site deleted all user accounts and removed its ad-free Pro app.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Scharon |date=2025-07-17 |title=Dictionary.com "devastated" paid users by abruptly deleting saved words lists |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/07/dictionary-com-devastated-paid-users-by-abruptly-deleting-saved-words-lists/ |access-date=2025-07-21 |website=Ars Technica |language=en}}</ref>
==Features== Among its features, ''Dictionary.com'' offers a Word of the Day,<ref name="Dictionary.com Word of the Day">{{Cite web |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/emolument |title=Definition of emolument |website=dictionary.com |access-date=2020-04-28 |archive-date=2022-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408014351/https://www.dictionary.com/browse/emolument |url-status=live}}</ref> a crossword solver,<ref>{{Cite web |title=15 crossword solvers for Android, iOS, and the web that actually work! |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/best-crossword-solvers-1040319/ |date=2020-03-05 |website=Android Authority |language=en-US |access-date=2020-05-08 |archive-date=2022-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408014351/https://www.androidauthority.com/best-crossword-solvers-1040319/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and a pop culture dictionary<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Terms Like 'OK Boomer' Are Hard to Define. This Dictionary Is Trying Anyway |first=Katy |last=Steinmetz |date=12 February 2020 |url=https://time.com/5782508/ok-boomer-meaning-slang-dictionary/|magazine=Time|language=en|access-date=2020-05-08}}</ref> that includes emoji and slang sections.
In 2010, ''Dictionary.com'' began a Word of the Year feature with the word ''change''.<ref name=cnn>{{cite web |first=Brandon |last=Griggs | url =https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/15/world/words-year-dictionary-com-trnd/index.html | title =What Dictionary.com's words of the year say about us | date =December 15, 2018 | publisher =CNN | access-date =December 19, 2019 | archive-date =April 8, 2022 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220408014355/https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/15/world/words-year-dictionary-com-trnd/index.html | url-status =live }}</ref> The selection is based on search trends on the site throughout the year and the news events that drive them.<ref name=clickondetroit>{{cite web | url =https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2019/12/02/existential-crowned-word-of-the-year-by-dictionarycom/ | title ="Existential' crowned word of the year by Dictionary.com | website =Click on Detroit | access-date =December 19, 2019 | archive-date =April 25, 2022 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220425080716/https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2019/12/02/existential-crowned-word-of-the-year-by-dictionarycom/ | url-status =live }}</ref> ''Dictionary.com''<nowiki/>'s words of the year have been:<ref name="cnn" /> * 2010: ''change'' * 2011: ''tergiversate'' * 2012: ''bluster'' * 2013: ''privacy'' * 2014: ''exposure'' * 2015: ''identity'' * 2016: ''xenophobia'' * 2017: ''complicit'' * 2018: ''misinformation'' * 2019: ''existential''<ref name=clickondetroit/> * 2020: ''pandemic''<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-30|title=The Dictionary.com Word Of The Year For 2020 Is ...|url=https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-year/|access-date=2021-01-24|website=Dictionary.com|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204073715/https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-year/|url-status=live}}</ref> * 2021: ''allyship'' * 2022: ''woman'' * 2023: ''hallucinate''<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Dictionary.com Word of the Year is ''hallucinate''. |url=https://content.dictionary.com/word-of-the-year-2023/ |date=2023-12-12 |website=Dictionary.com |language=en-US |access-date=2024-01-15 |archive-date=2024-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115052119/https://content.dictionary.com/word-of-the-year-2023// |url-status=live}}</ref> * 2024: ''demure'' * 2025: ''67''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-29 |title=Dictionary.com picks "67," a "nonsensical and playfully absurd" slang term, as the 2025 word of the year - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dictionary-67-2025-word-of-the-year-meaning/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
In April 2009, they launched an app on the Apple App Store allowing users to find definitions and synonyms. It also included audio pronunciations, alphabetical indexing, and synonym example sentences.<ref name=techcrunch>{{cite web | url =https://techcrunch.com/2009/04/08/dictionarycom-launches-free-iphone-app/ | title =Dictionary.com Launches Free iPhone App | last =Rao | first =Leena | date =April 8, 2009 | website =Tech Crunch | access-date =March 13, 2020 | archive-date =April 8, 2022 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220408014355/https://techcrunch.com/2009/04/08/dictionarycom-launches-free-iphone-app/ | url-status =live }}</ref> Since then, ''Dictionary.com'' released a standalone thesaurus app called ''Thesaurus Rex'' along with education apps, ''Dictionary.com Flashcards'', ''Word Dynamo'', and ''Learning to Read with Zoo Animals''.
In early 2020, in response to COVID-19 quarantine home-schooling needs, ''Dictionary.com'' launched an interactive platform for learning at home, and an online tutoring service.<ref>{{Cite web|title=41 totally free educational resources for kids stuck at home|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2020/03/18/free-educational-classes-and-programs-kids-home/5064311002/|last=Lane|first=Ana|date=March 18, 2020|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=May 8, 2020|archive-date=April 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408014359/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2020/03/18/free-educational-classes-and-programs-kids-home/5064311002/|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that year ''Dictionary.com''<nowiki/>'s sister site, ''Thesaurus.com'', launched a writing assistant and grammar checker called ''Grammar Coach''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Magid|first=Anigah|date=2020-10-28|title=Dictionary.com Launches Tutoring and Learning Features to Combat Language Ambiguity and Learning Burnout in 2020|url=https://news.elearninginside.com/dictionary-com-launches-tutoring-and-learning-features-to-combat-language-ambiguity-and-learning-burnout-in-2020/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-13|website=eLearningInside News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101083342/https://news.elearninginside.com/dictionary-com-launches-tutoring-and-learning-features-to-combat-language-ambiguity-and-learning-burnout-in-2020/ |archive-date=2020-11-01 }}</ref> The coronavirus outbreak led to the addition of novel words to the main dictionary (e.g., ''fomite'') and the slang dictionary (e.g., ''rona'').<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dictionary has been updated to cover COVID-19. These are the new words|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article242237646.html|last=Camero|first=Katie|website=Miami Herald|date=April 23, 2020|access-date=May 1, 2020|archive-date=October 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006153839/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article242237646.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
== See also == * ''Lexico'' * Lists of dictionaries
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|https://www.dictionary.com/}}
Category:Online English dictionaries Category:Thesauri (lexicography) Category:Internet properties established in 1995 Category:IAC Inc.