OED Online (Oxford English Dictionary) (2024)

FAQs

Is the Oxford English Dictionary online free? ›

Is there an online Oxford English Dictionary? Yes there is an Oxford Dictionary of English which is a free dictionary app that gives you access to more than 350,000 words, phrases and meanings.

A personal subscription to the OED offers full unrestricted access to the OED Online: that means more than 1,000 years of the English Language, as well as our quarterly updates. Details about personal OED subscriptions: Available for personal use only. Offers a single username and password that must not be shared.

The new pricing options are: One month: £10/$10. Four months: £35/$35.

Via a library

Most libraries offer remote access. This means that, if you are a member of your local library, you can access the OED online for free anywhere you have internet access.

Lexico, Oxford's free online dictionary, had closed on 26 Aug 2022.

While the Oxford English Dictionary gives you the meaning of the word as well as its origin, the Cambridge Dictionary gives a more practical explanation along with an example of how to use the word in a sentence.

The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, which is shorter and can be held in one hand, remains Merriam-Webster's flagship dictionary, receiving frequent updates and revisions. It is also the best-selling dictionary of American English. The online version is accessible at Merriam-Webster.com.

Merriam-Webster: America's Most Trusted Dictionary.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is available by subscription to individuals and institutions worldwide. The below links contain more information about our subscription offering: Institutional subscriptions. Personal subscriptions including UK public library access.

Keeping the OED updated is enormously expensive. "The OED Online is more than a dictionary," Scriven said. "It is an enormous history of the language, consulted daily by many scholars, but less frequently by more general users."

What is the most respected English dictionary? ›

More than a dictionary, the OED is a comprehensive guide to current and historical word meanings in English. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely accepted as the most complete record of the English language ever assembled.

The online version of the Oxford English Dictionary contains all work to date of the third edition, reflecting daily updates and revisions.

Its primary source is the Oxford English Dictionary, and it is nominally an abridgement of the Concise Oxford Dictionary. It was first published in 1924. In 1998 the New Oxford Dictionary of English (NODE) was published. While also aiming to cover current English, NODE was not based on the OED.

Personal Subscriptions: We are pleased to offer annual individual OED subscriptions for £100 or $100. View our subscriptions. Libraries and Institutions: Annual subscriptions are available for institutions. Register now for a free 30-day trial and to request pricing information.

Oxford Dictionary of English FREE is a free app for Android smartphones. While it's used for understanding the basic meaning of words, this English dictionary app provides you with immediate translations, definitions, and several other features.

With not a penny to pay, no strings attached and no entry requirements whatsoever, anyone interested in furthering their education now has the chance to study at home for free! Our free online courses with optional certificates are designed to be comprehensively accessible and as flexible as possible.