Dictionary Terms Flashcards
Guide words
Located at the top of the dictionary page with first word indicating the first entry word on the page while the second is the last entry word on the page.
Dictionary
A book in which words are listed alphabetically with their meanings, punctuations and other information. Colored tabs often indicate the beginning middle and end of the book.
Entry word
Boldface type word listed alphabetically along with its definitions and other information. The simple form of the word is listed, For example walk, insect, etc. while special forms of the words are listed at the end of the definition, for example, walked, insects, etc.
Syllabication
Entry word divided into syllables, indicated by a dot or an apostrophe.
Pronunciation
Listed in boldface type, parentheses, or brackets, provides information on how to say an entry word.
Parts of speech
Usually listed as an abbreviation for example N for noun, V for verb, etc., they identify how the word can be used in a sentence
Change in form
Identifies the plural form of a noun (cat to cats) the tense change of a verb (run to ran), or the change in the form of an adjective or adverb to show the degree of comparison.
Definition
List the various meanings of the entry word.
Word origin
Lists where language in which the word originated (Greek, Latin, Germanic, Spanish, etc.).
Synonym
Word or words with the same or similar meaning to the entry word (big and large, save and rescue, etc).
Antonym
Word or words with the opposite meaning to the entry word (big and small, noisy and quiet, etc).
Homophone
Words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings; each homophone is listed as a separate entry word. Eg, see and sea, etc.
Contraction
A short from of a word that leaves out certain letters and replaces them with an apostrophe; they’re as a contraction for they are.
Prefix
A word part (group of letters) added to the beginning of a base word to change its meaning (eg mis for misunderstand); a prefix never changes the the spelling of the base word.
Suffix
A word part (group of letters) added to the end of a word to change its meaning (e.g., less in the word homeless); sometimes the spelling of a base word changes when a suffix is added.
