# Why is the word "dictionary" in the dictionary?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-word-dictionary-in-the-dictionary/84200>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 27, 2001, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-word-dictionary-in-the-dictionary/84200 "2001-09-27T22:15:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![typo\_mna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eb8c5e/32.png) [@typo\_mna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typo_mna)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-word-dictionary-in-the-dictionary/84200/21 "2001-09-28T19:32:45Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> dictionary: The book your holding right now.  
> Maybe I shouldn’t have bought the Smartass Edition

Indeed, perhaps you should invest in the updated-to-include-homonyms edition.

^— I don’t use smileys as a matter of principle, but if I did, I’d put one right there.

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**Author:** ![milo\_minderbinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@milo\_minderbinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milo_minderbinder)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-word-dictionary-in-the-dictionary/84200/22 "2001-09-28T19:41:09Z")

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Anyone know another word for thesaurus?

milo

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-word-dictionary-in-the-dictionary/84200/23 "2001-09-28T20:01:55Z")

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…and while we’re at it, is there another word for Thesaurus?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-word-dictionary-in-the-dictionary/84200/24 "2001-09-28T20:11:29Z")

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Gaah, that was, in fact, a simulpost, but doesn’t the 20 minute difference make me look daft?

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