Dictionary vs. Thesaurus
Afshan Khan asks, “What is the difference between a dictionary and a thesaurus?”
A dictionary is a book containing the individual words of a language (usually organized alphabetically). The purpose of the dictionary is to set forth the orthography, pronunciation and signification of those words.
The thesaurus, on the other hand, is a specific dictionary that presents synonyms (words that have similar meaning) for every word listed. This type of dictionary became famous after its integration with word processing software.
The purpose of the thesaurus is to help the writer to find more suitable words and avoid the repetition of terms.
Don't want to miss a single tip? 
Subscribe to our RSS Feed!
Related Articles
Bookmark
2 Responses to “Dictionary vs. Thesaurus”
Got something to say?
Sponsors
Popular Articles
- 6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know
- The Impotence of Proofreading
- Let the Word Do the Work
- 10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals
- 8 Proofreading Tips and Techniques
- 40 Yiddish Words You Should Know
- TV's War on "Me" and "I"
- 34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better Writer
- Gross Writing Errors on the Web
- Creative Writing 101
- Latin Words and Expressions
- Usage That Provokes “Blackboard Moments”
Recent Articles
- “Epi-” Words for Writers
- Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent
- English Grammar 101: Adjectives
- The Vicissitudes of the Latin Plural in English
- Few vs. Several
- What’s a Male Mistress?
- Hot Topics on the Daily Writing Tips Forum
- Reduplicatives And Their Meanings
- Creative Writing 101
- Should You Use Footnotes or Endnotes?
Subscribe via E-Mail
When I was in school, my teacher called the Thesaurus, “the dinosaur book.” I guess because it has a dinosaur sounding name.
I live and work in a country that does not speak my native language. A thesaurus has become one of my favorite reference books. It can really help expand your understanding of word subtleties.
hi,,,