GET
https://api.dictionary.com/v2/definitions/{word}

Fetch Word Definitions

Retrieves comprehensive definitions, phonetic transcriptions, parts of speech, example sentences, and related terms for a specified word. Supports multiple languages and dialects via query parameters.

⚡ Try it out
Word
Language
✔ 200 OK • 42ms

                    

                

            


            

                
Path Parameters

                

                    
                        

                            Parameter
                            Type
                            Required
                            Description
                        

                    
                    
                        

                            word
                            string
                            REQUIRED
                            The word to look up. Supports Unicode characters and hyphenated terms.
                        

                    
                

            


            

                
Query Parameters

                

                    
                        

                            Parameter
                            Type
                            Default
                            Description
                        

                    
                    
                        

                            lang
                            string
                            en
                            ISO 639-1 language code for definition language.
                        

                        

                            dialect
                            string
                            none
                            Optional dialect filter (e.g., us, uk, au).
                        

                        

                            limit
                            integer
                            5
                            Maximum number of definitions to return (1-20).
                        

                        

                            include
                            string
                            definitions,phonetics
                            Comma-separated fields to include in response.
                        

                    
                

            


            

                
Headers

                

                    
                        

                            Header
                            Type
                            Required
                            Description
                        

                    
                    
                        

                            Authorization
                            string
                            REQUIRED
                            Bearer token for API authentication.
                        

                        

                            Accept
                            string
                            Optional
                            Set to application/json for JSON responses.
                        

                    
                

            


            

                
Response Schema

                

                    
                    
                    
                

                

                    
                    
{
  "word": "ephemeral",
  "phonetic": "/əˈfem.ər.əl/",
  "language": "en",
  "definitions": [
    {
      "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
      "definition": "Lasting for a very short time; transitory.",
      "example": "The ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms reminds us to cherish every moment.",
      "synonyms": ["fleeting", "transient", "momentary"],
      "antonyms": ["permanent", "enduring", "lasting"]
    }
  ],
  "etymology": "From Greek ephēmeros, meaning \"lasting only a day\"",
  "usageFrequency": 0.72,
  "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

                

            


            

                
cURL Example

                

                    
                    
curl -X GET "https://api.dictionary.com/v2/definitions/ephemeral?lang=en&limit=5" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Accept: application/json"