Use a Dictionary and Glossary
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What you will learn
- 1Explain the difference between a dictionary and a glossary
- 2Use guide words to find entries in a dictionary quickly
- 3Identify the part of speech and definition of a word in a dictionary entry
Mini Lesson
A dictionary and a glossary are both reference tools that help you understand words. Knowing when and how to use each one makes you a more independent reader.
What Is a Dictionary?
- A dictionary lists thousands of words from the whole language in alphabetical order.
- Each entry shows the word, its part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.), its pronunciation, its definition, and often an example sentence.
- Guide words at the top of each page show the first and last entry on that page — use them to find your word quickly.
- If a word has more than one meaning, the dictionary lists all meanings numbered 1, 2, 3 ...
What Is a Glossary?
- A glossary is found at the back of a nonfiction book or textbook.
- It only lists key words from that specific book — not the whole language.
- Glossary entries are also in alphabetical order and include a definition.
- Use the glossary first when you do not understand a word in the book you are reading.
Parts of a Dictionary Entry
- Entry word — the word you looked up, shown in bold.
- Pronunciation — shows you how to say the word, often in brackets.
- Part of speech — tells you how the word is used (n. = noun, v. = verb, adj. = adjective, adv. = adverb).
- Definition — the meaning of the word.
- Example sentence — shows the word used correctly in context.
Words to know
Entry word
The bold word at the start of a dictionary or glossary entry that you looked up
e.g. "migrate" is the entry word in the entry "migrate v. to move from one region to another".
Guide words
The two words printed at the top of a dictionary page showing the first and last entry on that page
e.g. If the guide words are "mist" and "moan", the word "mixture" will be on that page.
Part of speech
A label that tells how a word is used in a sentence — n., v., adj., or adv.
e.g. brave adj. — the adj. tells us "brave" is an adjective.
Definition
The meaning of a word as given in a dictionary or glossary
e.g. hibernate v. to spend the winter in a sleep-like state.
Glossary
An alphabetical list of key words and their definitions found at the back of a book
e.g. The science textbook glossary defines "photosynthesis" on page 214.
When a word has several definitions, read them all before deciding which meaning fits your reading context.
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