Dictionary.com

Last updated

Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com new logo 2020.svg
Type of site
 Dictionary
Available in English
OwnerIXL Learning
Created by
  • Brian Kariger
  • Daniel Fierro
URL dictionary.com
CommercialYes
LaunchedMay 14, 1995;30 years ago (1995-05-14)

Dictionary.com is an online dictionary whose domain was first registered on May 14, 1995. The primary content on Dictionary.com is a proprietary dictionary based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary , with editors for the site providing new and updated definitions. [1] [2] Supplementary content comes from the Collins English Dictionary , American Heritage Dictionary and others. [3] It is owned by IXL Learning. [4] [5]

Contents

History

Dictionary.com was founded by Brian Kariger and Daniel Fierro as part of Lexico Publishing, which also started Thesaurus.com and Reference.com. [6] At the time of its launch, it was one of the web's first in-depth reference sites. [7] In July 2008, Lexico Publishing Group, LLC, was acquired by Ask.com, an IAC company, [8] [9] and renamed Dictionary.com, LLC. [10] In 2018, IAC sold Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com to Rock Holdings. [11] At the time of the sale, Dictionary.com was the 447th most trafficked website in the United States, according to the website tracking service SimilarWeb. [11] In 2015, they estimated that there are 5.5 billion word searches a year on its site. [12] In 2024, Rock Holdings sold Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com to IXL Learning. [5]

In July 2025, the site deleted all user accounts and removed its ad-free Pro app. [13]

Features

Among its features, Dictionary.com offers a Word of the Day, [14] a crossword solver, [15] and a pop culture dictionary [16] that includes emoji and slang sections.

In 2010, Dictionary.com began a Word of the Year feature with the word change. [17] The selection is based on search trends on the site throughout the year and the news events that drive them. [18] Dictionary.com's words of the year have been: [17]

In April 2009, they launched an app on the Apple App Store allowing users to find definitions and synonyms. It also included audio pronunciations, alphabetical indexing, and synonym example sentences. [22] Since then, Dictionary.com released a standalone thesaurus app called Thesaurus Rex along with education apps, Dictionary.com Flashcards, Word Dynamo, and Learning to Read with Zoo Animals.

In early 2020, in response to COVID-19 quarantine home-schooling needs, Dictionary.com launched an interactive platform for learning at home, and an online tutoring service. [23] Later that year Dictionary.com's sister site, Thesaurus.com, launched a writing assistant and grammar checker called Grammar Coach. [24] The coronavirus outbreak led to the addition of novel words to the main dictionary (e.g., fomite ) and the slang dictionary (e.g., rona). [25]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Herman, Barbara (May 12, 2015). "Deep Web, Revenge Porn And Microaggression Are Just Some of Dictionary.com's Latest Additions". International Business Times. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  2. ↑ Treisman, Rachel (September 3, 2020). "Dictionary.com's Largest Update (Re)defines Thousands Of Words, Focusing On Identity". NPR . Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  3. ↑ Perlman, Merrill (April 29, 2019). "Dictionaries recently added more than 1,500 words. Here are some new entries". Columbia Journalism Review. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Latham & Watkins Advises IXL Learning in Acquisition of Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com". www.lw.com. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Caffrey, Michelle (April 2, 2024). "K-12 Dealmaking: IXL Acquires Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com; EdLight Raises $4M Round". Marketbrief. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  6. ↑ Kramer, Staci D. (May 15, 2008). "Lexico, Dictionary.com Being Acquired By Ask.com; Price In $100 Million Range". Gigacom. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  7. ↑ Alpert, Lukas (March 26, 2018). "Defining Moment for Dictionary.com - It's For Sale" . Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ Auchard, Eric (July 4, 2008). "Ask.com closes acquisition of Dictionary.com". Reuters. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  9. ↑ Ovide, Shira (May 15, 2008). "IAC to Buy Lexico to Boost Its Ask.com". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of Dictionary.com, LLC". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. July 17, 2008. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  11. 1 2 Reindl, JC (November 15, 2018). "Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert just dipped into the online dictionary, thesaurus business". WKYC Studios.
  12. ↑ Stevens, Heidi (November 11, 2015). "'Mx.' instead of 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.?' It's in the dictionary now". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  13. ↑ Harding, Scharon (July 17, 2025). "Dictionary.com "devastated" paid users by abruptly deleting saved words lists". Ars Technica. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Definition of emolument". dictionary.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  15. ↑ "15 crossword solvers for Android, iOS, and the web that actually work!". Android Authority. March 5, 2020. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  16. ↑ Steinmetz, Katy (February 12, 2020). "Terms Like 'OK Boomer' Are Hard to Define. This Dictionary Is Trying Anyway". Time. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  17. 1 2 Griggs, Brandon (December 15, 2018). "What Dictionary.com's words of the year say about us". CNN. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  18. 1 2 ""Existential' crowned word of the year by Dictionary.com". Click on Detroit. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  19. ↑ "The Dictionary.com Word Of The Year For 2020 Is ..." Dictionary.com. November 30, 2020. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  20. ↑ "The Dictionary.com Word of the Year is hallucinate". Dictionary.com. December 12, 2023. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Dictionary.com picks "67," a "nonsensical and playfully absurd" slang term, as the 2025 word of the year - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. October 29, 2025. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  22. ↑ Rao, Leena (April 8, 2009). "Dictionary.com Launches Free iPhone App". Tech Crunch. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  23. ↑ Lane, Ana (March 18, 2020). "41 totally free educational resources for kids stuck at home". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  24. ↑ Magid, Anigah (October 28, 2020). "Dictionary.com Launches Tutoring and Learning Features to Combat Language Ambiguity and Learning Burnout in 2020". eLearningInside News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  25. ↑ Camero, Katie (April 23, 2020). "Dictionary has been updated to cover COVID-19. These are the new words". Miami Herald . Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
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