Lookup Endpoint

Retrieve definitions, synonyms, pronunciations, and translations for any word or phrase using the Lookup API.

ℹ️

Base URL All requests should be made to: https://api.dictionary.com/v2

GET /lookup

Retrieves comprehensive lexical data for a specified word. Supports multiple languages and dialects via query parameters.

HTTP Request

GET /v2/lookup?word=ephemeral&lang=en-US&format=json
Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`word`	string	Yes	The word or phrase to look up. Max 100 characters.
`lang`	string	No	BCP-47 language code (default: `en-US`)
`format`	string	No	Response format: `json` or `xml`
`include`	string	No	Comma-separated list: `definitions`, `synonyms`, `audio`, `examples`

Response Schema

JSON Response

{
  "word": "ephemeral",
  "phonetic": "/əˈfem.ər.əl/",
  "language": "en-US",
  "definitions": [
    {
      "part_of_speech": "adjective",
      "definition": "Lasting for a very short time; transitory.",
      "example": "The ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms."
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": ["fleeting", "transient", "momentary"],
  "audio_url": "https://cdn.dictionary.com/audio/ephemeral-us.mp3"
}

⚠️

Authentication Required All requests must include a valid API key in the Authorization header. Missing or invalid keys will return a 401 Unauthorized response.

Error Handling

The API uses standard HTTP status codes to indicate success or failure. Errors are returned in a consistent JSON format:

Error Response

{
  "error": {
    "code": "WORD_NOT_FOUND",
    "message": "No entries found for the specified word.",
    "request_id": "req_8f9a2b1c3d4e5f6g"
  }
}

💡

Pro Tip Use the include parameter to reduce payload size. Only request the data fields you actually need for better performance.

Rate Limits

API requests are limited based on your subscription tier. Headers in every response indicate your current quota status.

Header	Description
`X-RateLimit-Limit`	Maximum requests per window
`X-RateLimit-Remaining`	Requests remaining in current window
`X-RateLimit-Reset`	Unix timestamp when the window resets

← Authentication Thesaurus →