Dictionary \Dic"tion*a*ry\, n.; pl. Dictionaries. [Cf. F.
   dictionnaire. See Diction.]
   1. A book containing the words of a language, arranged
      alphabetically, with explanations of their meanings; a
      lexicon; a vocabulary; a wordbook.
      [1913 Webster]

            I applied myself to the perusal of our writers; and
            noting whatever might be of use to ascertain or
            illustrate any word or phrase, accumulated in time
            the materials of a dictionary.        --Johnson.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Hence, a book containing the words belonging to any system
      or province of knowledge, arranged alphabetically; as, a
      dictionary of medicine or of botany; a biographical
      dictionary.
      [1913 Webster]

	

	dictionary
     n : a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words
         with information about them [syn: lexicon]

	

	37 Moby Thesaurus words for "dictionary":
   biographical dictionary, cant, chemical dictionary,
   desk dictionary, dialect dictionary, dictionary of quotations,
   electronics dictionary, etymological dictionary,
   foreign-language dictionary, gazetteer, general dictionary,
   geological dictionary, gloss, glossary, gradus, jargon, language,
   lexicon, nomenclator, onomasticon, palaver, phrase book,
   polyglot dictionary, promptorium, rhyming dictionary,
   science dictionary, slang dictionary, specialized dictionary,
   synonym dictionary, synonymy, terminology, thesaurus,
   treasury of words, unabridged dictionary, vocabulary, word list,
   wordbook

	

	DICTIONARY, n.  A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth
of a language and making it hard and inelastic.  This dictionary,
however, is a most useful work.