The advanced learner's dictionary is the most common type of
monolingual learner's dictionary, that is, a
dictionary
A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged Alphabetical order, alphabetically (or by Semitic root, consonantal root for Semitic languages or radical-and-stroke sorting, radical an ...
written in one language only, for someone who is learning a
foreign language. It differs from a
bilingual or
translation dictionary, a standard dictionary written for
native speakers, or a children's dictionary. Its definitions are usually built on a restricted
defining vocabulary. "Advanced" usually refers learners with a proficiency level of B2 or above according to the
Common European Framework. Basic learner's dictionaries also exist.
Although these advanced dictionaries have been produced for learners of several languages (including Chinese, Dutch, German, and Spanish), the majority are written for
learners of English.
Printed
The best-known advanced learner's dictionaries are:
*''
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary'', first published in 1948.
*''
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English'', first published in 1978.
*''
Collins Cobuild English Dictionary'', first published in 1987 and now published as ''
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary''.
*''
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
International Dictionary of English'', first published in 1995 and now published as ''
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary''.
*''
Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners'', first published in 2002.
*''
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's English Dictionary'', first published in 2008.
The Macmillan dictionary is no longer being maintained: it went online-only in the 2010s and shut down entirely in 2023. So there are four popular learner's dictionaries for
British English
British English is the set of Variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain. More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadly, to ...
that are still active, while ''Merriam-Webster's'' aims for
American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lang ...
in particular.
Online
Online dictionary resources provide attractive support to advanced learners. The
Open Dictionary of English is specifically designed to serve as a learner's dictionary. Visitors can register for free, adaptive tutoring, which seamlessly integrates with the dictionary.
See also
*
Comparison of English dictionaries
Further reading
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External links
;Crowdsourced
''Open Dictionary of English''WordnikWiktionary
;Commercial
''Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary''''Collins COBUILD Advanced Dictionary''''Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English''''Macmillan English Dictionary'' Online''Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's English Dictionary''''Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Advanced Learner's Dictionary
English dictionaries
Dictionaries by type