Many texts include dictionary definitions that are either copy-pasted from a dictionary or rewritten to avoid plagiarism. Whichever method is followed, it’s important to cite and reference that dictionary entry.
A dictionary ‘entry’ is just an academic form of referring to a dictionary term. If a writer has defined the term ‘jurisdiction,’ for instance, it will be said that the writer has used the ‘dictionary entry’ for ‘jurisdiction.’
In-text Citation Patterns (Quick and Clear)
- Signed entry (person named): (Author Year) or (Author Year, p. #)
- No named author (corporate author): (Dictionary/Publisher Year)
- No date: (Author n.d.) or (Dictionary n.d.)
Examples
- (Law 2018)
- (Oxford English Dictionary 2022)
- (‘Jurisdiction’ n.d.)
Use page numbers for print when you quote; for online entries without pages, point to a section heading or use para. # if visible.
Looking for dissertation help?
Research Prospect to the rescue then!
We have expert writers on our team who are skilled at helping students with dissertations across a variety of disciplines. Guaranteeing 100% satisfaction!
Reference List Templates (Pick What Fits)
A) Print — signed entry
Author Surname, Initial(s) Year, ‘Entry title’, in Dictionary title, ed./eds Editor Initial(s) Surname, edition, Publisher, Place, p. # / pp. #–#.
Example
Perez, M 2019, ‘Jurisdiction’, in Encyclopedic Law Dictionary, ed R Hughes, 3rd edn, Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 412–413.
B) Print — no named author (corporate author)
Dictionary/Publisher Year, ‘Entry title’, in Dictionary title, edition (if given), Publisher, Place, p. # / pp. #–#.
Example
Oxford University Press 2020, ‘Cognition’, in Oxford Companion to Psychology, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 101–103.
C) Online — signed or unsigned entry
Author Surname, Initial(s) Year, ‘Entry title’, in Dictionary title, edition (if shown), Publisher, viewed Day Month Year, <URL>.
Examples
Wheeler, M 2020, ‘Extended mind’, in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, viewed 02 September 2025, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mind-extended/.
‘Algorithm’ 2024, in Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, viewed 02 September 2025, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/algorithm.
If a DOI exists (rare for dictionaries), prefer https://doi.org/ over a long URL.
Edge Cases You’ll Meet (And What to Do)
- No author, no date: Start with the entry title, use n.d., add a viewed date.
- Apps or mobile pages: Treat as online, include viewed date and a resolvable URL (avoid app-only links).
- Multiple editors: Use eds.
- Whole dictionary cited: Only cite the whole work if you discuss it broadly. Otherwise, cite the specific entry you used.
Quality Checks
- Citing the whole dictionary when you used one entry
- Dropping the viewed date for online entries
- Capitalising every word in entry titles, Harvard usually wants sentence case
- Forgetting editors/edition in scholarly encyclopedias
- Pasting the app link instead of a normal URL
These fixes keep your source citation game strong and your reference list tidy.
Frequently Asked Questions
To cite a dictionary entry in Harvard style: Format: Author(s). (Year). Entry title. In Dictionary Title. Publisher. URL (if online). Example: Smith, J. (2023). Algorithm. In Oxford Dictionary. Oxford University Press. URL. Remember to italicize the dictionary title, and provide page URL if accessed online.
No. Put the entry title in single quotes. Italicise the dictionary title.
Use n.d. in place of the year and include a viewed date in the reference.
Yes, if the encyclopedia lists editors. Use ed. or eds after “in”.
Yes. Even paraphrased definitions need an in-text citation and a reference list entry.
