How Do You Write A Dictionary Definition?
Early dictionaries were bilingual references that listed words in one language and translated them to another. In 1604, a dictionary appeared in England that simply listed words in English and defined them by using other words. The innovative publication arranged words alphabetically instead of by topic. Daniel Webster introduced the dictionary to America in the early 1700s. Obtain a dictionary. Locate multiple examples of the word and various usages. Note different uses, meanings and applications of the word. Determine which part of speech the word is in a specific use. Be familiar with the various parts of speech (noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb) in order to correctly identify the word’s role in the language. Create several definitions for the word using colored index cards. Assign one color to each part of speech. Use the simplest, most familiar and most concise terms for each definition. Offer a list of synonyms and antonyms to help in defining the various shades of meaning
