How to Use A Dictionary back
The University of Alabama
Center for Academic Success
124 Osband
348-5175
A dictionary will give you the following information about a word:
How to spell the word and its special plural form
Whether or not the word is capitalized or abbreviated
How to break the word into syllables
How to pronounce the word
The part of speech of a word
Different meanings that the word has, as well as synonyms (same meaning) and antonyms (opposite meaning)
A sentence or expression with the word used correctly
The meanings of important prefixes and suffixes
The special uses of the word
The history of the word
Other words derived from the main word
Special sections in some dictionaries tell you about:
Foreign words and phrases
Abbreviations
Addresses of colleges or government offices
The population of cities and countries
Applying the following pointers will save time when you use a dictionary:
Know and use proper alphabetical order
Use guide words to save time
Check all abbreviations and symbols in the special sections
If at first you don’t succeed in finding the word, don’t give up. You might need to check several possible spellings before finding the word
Substitute the meaning you find for the word in the sentence. Be sure you select the most appropriate meaning, not merely the first one you come to
Try saying the word aloud after you look at the pronunciation key.