Fields in a Dictionary Entry: Quick Definition
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There are 15 potential fields in an entry. Nearly all entries have fields for "ENT" (entry), "PRO" (pronunciation), POS (part of speech - except a few contractions and symbols of chemical elements) and "DEF" (definition) fields. Other fields are optional.
DEF:
- 1. CRF: Cross reference This field gives information about related words the user my wish to refer to. (back to top)
- 2. DEF: Definitions (sometimes including cross-reference note, usage label or note, or abbreviated form). (back to top)
- 3. DER: Derivatives (or Run-ons) These words are derivative forms of the main entry word. The part of speech is different, and is given after the word. (back to top)
- 4. ENT: Main entry (sometimes with variant forms, either in parentheses or after the word "or"). (back to top)
- 5. EXA: Examples (sometimes more than one per definition; sometimes including cross-reference note or abbreviated form). (back to top)
- 6. INF: Inflections are the different forms of a word (verb tenses, adjective and adverb degrees, plurals of nouns and some pronouns). (back to top)
- 7. PHR: Phrases (or Run-ins). These are noun phrases, verb phrases, or idiomatic phrases that are based on the main entry word, such as "break down" or "take into account") A PHR field will be followed by one or more definitions, and in many cases, examples. (back to top)
- 8. POS: Part of speech or other designation such as "abbr." for abbreviations, "suff." for suffixes, "pref." for prefixes. (back to top)
- 9. PRO: Pronunciation is give for the word in this field. There is pronunciation for all entries except prefixes and suffixes and most abbreviations. (back to top)
- 10. SIC: Words of similar, or near synonymous meaning, not sense discriminated (i.e., referring to the most general meaning of the word). (back to top)
- 11. SIM: Words of similar, or near synonymous meaning, under the proper sense.
- 12. SYC: Synonyms for a word, not sense discriminated (i.e., referring to the most general meaning of the word). (back to top)
- 13. SYL: Division into syllables (syllabification) is shown in this field. (back to top)
- 14. SYN: Synonyms for a word, referring to the meaning given in the definition above it. The synonyms may contain information about how to locate the main entry for that word (in brackets), and which definition it the entry it refers to (in parentheses). (back to top)
- 15. XWN: These words are linked with the WordNet lexical database, that provides information about word relations - including relations like "x is a kind of y" (hypernym) and "x has y as a subclass" (hyponym). (back to top)
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