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wikiHow to Cite a Dictionary Meaning in MLA

Two Methods:Citing a Dictionary DefinitionCiting a Dictionary Definition from an Online SourceCommunity Q&A

When composing a paper, you may need to cite the definition of a word to help prove or illustrate your argument. If you use a dictionary definition, you must tell your reader where you found the information by using a citation in your bibliography. Citations are a detailed account of where you found the information and should include the name of resource’s author, the title of the resource, and the resource’s publication information. There are several different citation styles available, and the citation style you use in your paper will usually be determined by your teacher or by your school. However, the Modern Language Association (MLA) style is most commonly used citation style in the humanities.

Part 1
Citing a Dictionary Definition

  1. 1
    Begin with the term you have defined in quotation marks. Only use one set of double quotation marks around the term.[1]
    • For example: “Charming.”
  2. 2
    Add the name of the dictionary in italics. So, it would look like: “Charming” John’s Dictionary.
  3. 3
    Include the edition if you citing an edition other than the first edition. The edition will be included on the back side of the book’s title page. If you are using a first edition, it is not necessary to include the edition number as it would be redundant.
    • For example: “Charming” John’s Dictionary. 4th ed.
  4. 4
    Include the publication date. This information will be on the back of the book’s title page.
    • For example: “Charming.” John’s Dictionary. 4th ed. 2002.
    • Entries in a dictionary do not have specified author so you do not need to provide this information in your citation.[2]
  5. 5
    Add the medium of publication. It is important to specify if you accessed a print source, rather than a web source.
    • Your citation should look like this: “Charming.” John’s Dictionary. 4th ed. 2002. Print.
  6. 6
    Use parenthesis to make an in-text citation. You will add in-text citations to end of the sentence you are citing.
    • For example: “The word “charming” means very pleasing or appealing (“Charming”)
    • Because dictionaries are always organized alphabetically, you do not need to list the page number where you found the definition.[3]

Part 2
Citing a Dictionary Definition from an Online Source

  1. 1
    Begin with the term you have identified in quotation marks.[4]
    • For example: “Charming.”
  2. 2
    Add the name of the website in italics. You should also add a period after the website name.
    • For example: “Charming.” Merriam-Webster.
  3. 3
    Add the date of the copyright. Put a period after the date.
    • For example: “Charming.” Merriam-Webster. 2014.
  4. 4
    Include the medium of the publication. In this case, it would be the web. Be sure to capitalize the word “web,” and add a period.
    • For example: “Charming.” Merriam-Webster. 2014. Web.
  5. 5
    Include the date you accessed the website. You can use your web history to determine the exact date.
    • For example: “Charming.” Merriam-Webster. 2014. Web. 11 November 2014.
  6. 6
    Add in the URL of the website, followed by a period. This is not a requirement for the citation but it is helpful to provide the URL to help your reader easily access the resource.
  7. 7
    Use parenthesis to make an in-text citation at the end of the sentence. You use the same method as you did when doing in-text citations from a print source.

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    Tips

    • When you alphabetize your bibliographic entries by author, just use the title of dictionary.

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