Dictionary vs Thesaurus
While both dictionaries and thesauri are used to understand the meanings of words in a language, they serve different purposes in conveying this information. Dictionaries are commonly used by learners to find meanings, pronunciations, and spellings of words, whereas thesauri are frequently used by writers to find synonyms and antonyms for better word choices or to avoid repetition. This article will explore the definitions, contents, and differences between dictionaries and thesauri.
Key Takeaways
- A thesaurus is a reference source that lists synonyms and related concepts and provides information on nominal, adjectival, and adverbial forms of words, but not etymologies.
- A dictionary is a comprehensive resource that lists words in a language, typically in alphabetical order, and provides definitions, pronunciations, origins, and usage, as well as information on gender and parts of speech.
- Thesauri are mostly used by writers to find synonyms and antonyms, while dictionaries are more commonly used to find meanings, pronunciations, and spellings of words.
What is a Thesaurus?
According to the Oxford dictionary, a thesaurus is “a book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts.” It provides information about words with similar meanings (synonyms) and words with opposite meanings (antonyms). Generally, people and writers use a thesaurus to find synonyms and antonyms for their writing. A thesaurus typically does not provide information about the origins or etymologies of words, but it does include information about various forms of words, such as nominal, adjectival, and adverbial forms.
What is a Dictionary?
The Oxford English dictionary defines a dictionary as “a book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language (typically in alphabetical order) and gives their meaning, or gives the equivalent words in a different language, often also providing information about pronunciation, origin, and usage.” It serves as an etymological and grammatical tool for understanding the words of a language. A dictionary provides additional information about a word, such as its gender, part of speech, and etymological derivation. There are also dictionaries that provide equivalent or similar words in another language, such as English to French or English to German dictionaries.
Thesaurus vs Dictionary
- A dictionary is a collection of words from a specific language, listed alphabetically and accompanied by definitions and usage information. A thesaurus is a reference source containing a categorized list of synonyms and related antonyms.
- A dictionary provides additional information about a word, such as etymologies, phonetics, pronunciations, gender, and parts of speech. A thesaurus typically does not include etymology information but does provide information on other forms of words, such as nominal, adjectival, and adverbial forms.
- Dictionaries are frequently used to find meanings, pronunciations, and spellings of words, while thesauri are more often used by writers to find synonyms and antonyms for better word choices or to avoid repetition.
- A dictionary can also be found in multiple languages, such as an English to French dictionary that contains a collection of words in one language and their equivalents in another. This is typically not the case with a thesaurus.
