How to cite a dictionary in APA Style
To cite a dictionary definition in APA Style, start with the author of the dictionary (usually an organization), followed by the publication year, the word you’re citing, the dictionary name, the publisher (if not already listed as author), and the URL.
Explore the format with the buttons below.
Table of contents
How to cite an online dictionary entry
Online dictionaries tend to be continuously updated, so you usually won’t have a specific publication date. In this case, write “n.d.” (no date) in place of the year and include a retrieval date:
How to cite a print dictionary
Citing from a print dictionary differs in that you’ll always be using a specific edition with a publication date, so this information should appear in your citation. Do not list the publisher a second time if it is already listed in the author position.
| Format | Publisher Name. (Year). Entry name. In Dictionary name (Edition, p. Page number). Publisher. |
|---|---|
| Reference entry | HarperCollins. (2019). Rehabilitate. In Collins English dictionary (8th ed., p. 672). |
| In-text citation | (HarperCollins, 2019) |
Print dictionaries still don’t usually list authors, although in some specialist dictionaries an author may be listed. If an author for the individual entry is listed, list them in the author position instead of the publisher, and do include the publisher at the end.
