Does a comprehensive etymological dictionary exist that crosses languages? [more inside]
posted by Tchad on Sep 3, 2009 - 11 answers

Need help compiling a list of monolingual dictionaries. [more inside]
posted by RavinDave on Jul 18, 2009 - 11 answers

Is the English language stagnating or do dictionaries just suck? [more inside]
posted by Ookseer on Dec 1, 2008 - 19 answers

Need recommendations for a quality French-English electronic dictionary. [more inside]
posted by Solon and Thanks on Nov 9, 2008 - 10 answers

I'd like to get a German dictionary/language program for my Blackberry Curve. Any recommendations or caveats? [more inside]
posted by foxy_hedgehog on May 16, 2008 - 1 answer

Is there a word for: expecting to feel grief or ache of conscience and then not feeling it? [more inside]
posted by coizero on Jan 23, 2008 - 22 answers

I would like to develop a visual dictionary, web-based, which would allow me to visually parse words the reader is looking at, much like balloons over the word in question. [more inside]
posted by steppe on Nov 7, 2007 - 1 answer

I'm looking for insults from around the world, in their native tongue, English translation and phonetics. Not truly offensive, but more like the Shakespearian "I bite my at thou." The stranger/smarter/culturally varied, the better. [more inside]
posted by Davidissimo on Oct 31, 2007 - 30 answers

I need . . . adjectives! Is there a *scannable* online dictionary or some way in which I can search through giant lists just for the adjectives? [more inside]
posted by Dee Xtrovert on Oct 18, 2007 - 9 answers

Microsoft Word/Office question: Can anyone recommend a good third-party add on dictionary for medical, technical and scientific terms? [more inside]
posted by Zinger on May 5, 2007 - 5 answers

Best large Spanish-English dictionary? Also best dictionary for Cervantes era spanish? (Reasons why best a bonus.) Many thanks.
posted by IndigoJones on Apr 3, 2007 - 10 answers

What does one call something that contains the seeds of its own downfall? [more inside]
posted by viewofdelft on Oct 5, 2006 - 35 answers

Where can I find a dictionary of single-syllable expressions, ideally multi-lingual? [more inside]
posted by scottreynen on Aug 3, 2006 - 2 answers

DictionaryFilter: Looking for a good Italian-Italian style/usage dictionary, ideally just like the Duden #3 Stilwoerterbuch for German (Italian examples, simple words, covers questions of usage more than definitions) [more inside]
posted by sdis on May 1, 2006 - 6 answers

I've given up. I can't seem to find this anywhere. Perhaps MeFi can do it? I'm looking for an English-Chinese dictionary for my Nokia N70 phone that has pinyin pronouncations listed for the characters. I want characters, too, but the pinyin is pretty key if I'm actually going to be able to say anything. I'm running Symbian 60 OS. You would think this shouldn't be that hard to find but everything I find either doesn't have pinyin or is for the wrong Symbian OS.
posted by riverjack on Mar 19, 2006 - 0 answers

Meaning of "eloecea"? [more inside]
posted by zharptitsa on Dec 6, 2005 - 23 answers

I'm pretty verbose, but I don't think my vocabulary has grown much in years. And I'd like to build it up. [more inside]
posted by grumblebee on May 18, 2005 - 23 answers

Which dictionaries would you recommend as a gift for a writer friend? [more inside]
posted by hootch on Apr 27, 2005 - 35 answers

Where can I find a dictionary of words spelled backwards, listed in alphabetical order, preferably accessible via WWW? This kind of book used to be a common tool for cryptographers back before everything was done by machine, but I'm not a spook; I just like Oulipo-style wordplay. I used to know what this was called, but no longer do, and have googled "reverse dictionary", "backwards dictionary", "yranoitcid", and many more terms with no success. Suggestions for similar dictionaries, such as ones in which all the letters of the words are sorted alphabetically (mouse->emosu) are also welcome. Thanks.
posted by rwhe on Mar 13, 2005 - 24 answers

English language question: what is the difference between intern/internship and trainee/traineeship? [+] [more inside]
posted by elgilito on Jan 28, 2005 - 18 answers

Is there a good online dictionary of idioms and phrases? I know there are online thesauri, but they don't have the colorful expressions from the original Roget's I.
posted by inksyndicate on Dec 16, 2004 - 6 answers

What's the difference between the words "proffer" and "offer"? This has been driving me mad for some reason for a few days now. Every dictionary I consult basically seems to say that they mean the same thing. But surely there must be a difference, right?
posted by reklaw on Apr 19, 2004 - 12 answers