Dictionaries - English, Law, and Others

Welcome!

Below is a list of English language dictionaries often used by courts, including Webster's Third New International Dictionary, the most popular among contemporary dictionaries.

Dictionaries are available at the Robert Crown Law Library unless otherwise noted. Dictionaries are listed alphabetically by title, with current editions shown first and major prior editions following. This is a curated list and does not reflect Stanford's full collection. Availability of editions may change. Please check Searchworks for the latest information. 

Historical

For historical dictionaries of the English language, it is important to note that older dictionaries did not necessarily update with new editions in the way that modern dictionaries do. Additionally, dictionaries by different editors often had the same name (e.g. several different ones are published as "A Dictionary of the English Language"), so pay attention to the author, publisher, and date information. 

The following articles provide some guidance for finding and using historical dictionaries:

• A Concise Guide to Using Dictionaries from the Founding Era to Determine the Original Meaning of the Constitution
• A Note on the Use of Dictionaries

These resources may be helpful in locating relevant historical dictionaries and definitions:

• Bodleian Libraries Research Guide: English Language: a short guide to online resources
• Rutgers Library Research Guide: Literatures in English: Dictionaries

Dictionaries are available at the Robert Crown Law Library unless otherwise noted. 

Dictionaries are listed alphabetically by title, with current editions shown first [and major prior editions following]. Availability of editions may change. Please check Searchworks for the latest information.