API Endpoints

v1.2.0

Overview

The Dictionary API provides programmatic access to lexical data including definitions, etymologies, phonetics, translations, and usage examples. All endpoints return JSON and require HTTPS. The base URL for all requests is https://api.dictionary.com/v1.

Authentication

Access is granted via API keys passed in the Authorization header. Keys can be generated from your dashboard.

Header
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Rate Limits

Requests are limited based on your plan tier. Exceeding limits returns 429 Too Many Requests.

Plan Requests / Minute Requests / Day
Free305,000
Pro200100,000
EnterpriseCustomUnlimited
GET /words/{word}

Retrieve comprehensive lexical data for a specific word, including definitions, parts of speech, examples, and etymology.

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
word string Yes The exact word to look up. Case-insensitive.
language string No ISO 639-1 code. Defaults to en.
include array No Comma-separated fields: definitions,etymology,phonetics,synonyms

Response (200 OK)

JSON
{\n "word": "ephemeral",\n "phonetics": [{ "text": "/əˈfem.ər.əl/" }],\n "meanings": [\n {\n "partOfSpeech": "adjective",\n "definitions": [\n { "definition": "Lasting for a very short time.", "example": "The ephemeral beauty of spring flowers." }\n ],\n "synonyms": ["fleeting", "transient", "momentary"]\n }\n ],\n "etymology": "From Latin ephemerus, Greek ephēmeros."\n}

Status Codes

200 Success 404 Word not found 422 Invalid word format
POST /search

Perform fuzzy and contextual searches across the entire lexicon. Supports partial matches, homophones, and morphological variations.

Request Body

JSON
{\n "query": "happi*,\n "fuzzy": true,\n "limit": 5,\n "filters": {\n "partOfSpeech": "adjective",\n "minRelevance": 0.75\n }\n}

Response (200 OK)

JSON
{\n "results": [\n { "word": "happy", "relevance": 0.98 },\n { "word": "happily", "relevance": 0.85 },\n { "word": "happiness", "relevance": 0.82 }\n ],\n "total": 3,\n "queryTime": "42ms"\n}

Status Codes

200 Success 400 Invalid query format 422 Missing required fields
GET /words/{word}/translations

Retrieve equivalent terms across supported languages. Returns direct translations, idiomatic equivalents, and usage notes.

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
wordstringYesSource word to translate
target_langstringNoISO code or all. Defaults to all.
include_contextbooleanNoAppend usage examples for each translation

Response (200 OK)

JSON
{\n "word": "library",\n "translations": {\n "es": ["biblioteca"],\n "fr": ["bibliothèque"],\n "de": ["Bibliothek"],\n "ja": ["図書館"]\n }\n}

Status Codes

200 Success 404 Word not found 400 Invalid language code
POST /users/{userId}/saved

Save a word to a user's personal dictionary. Requires authenticated user token.

Request Body

JSON
{\n "word": "serendipity",\n "collection": "favorite-terms",\n "notes": "Great word for writing prompts"\n}

Response (201 Created)

JSON
{\n "success": true,\n "savedId": "sv_8x92k1m3",\n "timestamp": "2025-06-15T14:32:00Z"\n}

Status Codes

201 Created 401 Unauthorized 409 Duplicate entry
GET /word-of-the-day

Fetch the current Word of the Day. Updates daily at 00:00 UTC. Returns full lexical entry.

Status Codes

200 Success 503 Service temporarily unavailable
}