Webster's Online Dictionary

Project Mission

The mission of developers behind Webster’s Online Dictionary is to create the largest free dictionary of modern language. When completed, it is expected to contain more than 400 modern languages, 10 ancestral languages, and more than 30 million individual expressions, technical terms, and words.

Webster’s Online Dictionary History

Webster’s Online Dictionary began in 1999, but it took another four years before the first content was accessible online. This website is the property of INSEAD, which is a non-profit international education institution located in Fontainebleau, France and Singapore.

While the online dictionary is founded on the 1913 Webster’s unabridged dictionary, INSEAD has steadily increased the database with donated, copyright-free content in an attempt to become the most complete multi-lingual online dictionary available at no charge to the public.

Online Dictionary Features

The dictionary offers several features of interest to both the average Internet user and the inquisitive webmaster.

Webmaster Tools

With a few clicks of the mouse, a webmaster can create the code needed to add a Webster's Dictionary search box to his website. Once the code is created, it is simply a matter of copying and pasting the code to his website to offer visitors the ease of an online dictionary lookup.

Quick Search

It is as easy as typing a word into a search box, clicking English or non-English, and hitting enter to look up the meaning in English or one of 90 modern or 10 ancestral languages. You can do a quick search from any webpage on the website.

Browse

You can also browse Webster’s Online Dictionary by the following:

• In English, by letter
• Language
• Inventions
• Trade names
• Product names

Word of the...

If you enjoy learning new words, the Webster’s Online Dictionary features a new word for each day, hour, and minute, and also an interest quote of the day.

A Word On Slang

While others argue over whether a word is a real word or just a slang expression, the people at Webster’s have opted to include slang as well as official words in its listings.

Definitions

Webster’s Dictionary offers more than just definitions. In many cases you will also find such information as:

• Specialty definitions
• Abbreviations and acronyms
• Synonym within or without context
• Modern usage
• Crossword usage
• Commercial usage
• Photographs and/or slideshows
• Soundbites
• Uses in literature
• Familiar quotes that use the word
• Usage frequency statistics
• How the word is used in spoken language
• Proper names derived from the word
• Internet keyword frequency
• Translations into other languages
• Biblical word use
• Derivations and common misspellings
• Anagrams
• Modern art
• Trade name use

In Conclusion

Webster’s provides more than any standard dictionary. It even goes beyond what you would find in an encyclopedia. This is one website that easily earns the right to be added to your favorites list and to be visited for all your terminology needs.

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