How to Cite a Dictionary Entry in APA

• Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Published on 05/06/2024

In academic writing, proper citation is crucial for acknowledging sources and providing credibility to your work. When citing dictionary entries in APA style, it’s essential to adhere to specific guidelines to ensure accuracy and consistency. Whether referencing an online or print dictionary entry, following these guidelines will help you create citations that meet APA standards.

CITE AN ENTRY IN A ONLINE DICTIONARY

When citing an entry from an online dictionary, the American Psychological Association (APA) provides the following format:

• Author: The individual or organization responsible for creating the dictionary entry. If no individual author is listed, use the name of the organization or entity that published the dictionary.
• Publication Year: The year the dictionary was published or last updated. Include n.d. (no date) if the publication date is not available.
• Entry Title: The title of the specific dictionary entry being cited. Ensure accuracy by using the exact title as it appears in the dictionary.
• Dictionary Title: The title of the dictionary in which the entry is found should be in italics, with the word “In” also included to indicate its context within the citation.
• Retrieval Date: The date on which the dictionary entry was accessed. Since online entries may be subject to updates, including the retrieval date provides context for the version consulted.
• URL: The web address (URL) where the dictionary entry can be found, preceded by the label “from” to indicate the source’s location on the internet.

EXAMPLE CITATION FOR A ONLINE DICTIONARY

Citation	Collins English Dictionary. (n.d.). Entrepreneur. In CollinsDictionary.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024, from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/en/entrep
Structure	Author. (n.d.). Entry title. In Dictionary title. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL

EXAMPLE IN-TEXT CITATION FOR A ONLINE DICTIONARY

Parenthetical citations: 

Example	(Collins English Dictionary, n.d.)
Structure	(Author, n.d.)

Narrative citations: 

Example	Collins English Dictionary (n.d.)
Structure	Author (n.d.)

Streamline Citations: When the author and publisher are identical for a dictionary entry, remember to include the name only once, typically in the author element, to avoid unnecessary repetition and maintain clarity in your citation. Maintain Consistency: Ensure consistency in capitalization by using sentence case for both the entry title and dictionary title. Sentence case means capitalizing only the first letter of the first word in a sentence, as well as proper nouns and any other words that would typically be capitalized. Double-Check URLs: When citing online dictionaries, always verify the accuracy of the URL provided. URLs may change over time, so it’s essential to double-check and update them if necessary to ensure that readers can access the source you’re referencing.

CITE AN ENTRY IN A PRINT DICTIONARY

When citing an entry from a print dictionary, the APA style provides a slightly different format:

• Author: This refers to the individual or organization credited with creating the dictionary entry. In cases where no individual author is identified, the name of the organization or entity responsible for publishing the dictionary should be used.
• Publication Year: The year the dictionary was published or last updated.
• Entry Title: The title of the specific dictionary entry being cited. Ensure accuracy by using the exact title as it appears in the dictionary.
• Dictionary Title: Italicize the title of the dictionary where the entry is located, and include the word “In” to signify its context within the citation.
• Edition Information: The edition of the print dictionary in which the entry appears.
• Page Number: The page number on which the entry is located within the print dictionary.
• Publisher: The publisher is the organization or company responsible for producing and distributing the dictionary.

EXAMPLE CITATION FOR A PRINT DICTIONARY

Citation	Oxford University Press. (2024). Natural selection. In Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed., p. 482).
Structure	Author. (Publication Year). Entry title. In Dictionary title (Edition Number, Page Number).

EXAMPLE IN-TEXT CITATION FOR A PRINT DICTIONARY

Parenthetical citations: 

Example	(Oxford University Press, 2024)
Structure	(Author, Publication Year)

Narrative citations: 

Example	Oxford University Press (2024)
Structure	Author (Publication Year)