Dictionaries, thesauri & encyclopedias
On this page:
- Find out what other material is held by the Library.
- How to find other material using SEARCH.
- How to access online dictionaries, thesauri & encyclopedias.
Popular resources
Here is a list of popular dictionaries, thesauri and encyclopedias from our online collection. (Don't forget about Wiktionary and Wikipedia.)
- The Britannica Dictionary
This is a free version of the Britannica Dictionary and is available online, with options to explore the Britannica website.
- Cambridge Dictionary.
This is a free version that provides a range of resources on different English dictionaries, including British English and American English, Thesaurus and Translation dictionaries.
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Encyclopedia Britannica
This is a free version covering topics on history and society, science and technology, arts and culture and more.
- Macquarie Dictionary & Thesaurus Online.
This is a free version that provides a record of English as it is used in Australia including words relating to business, science and technology, as well as words and phrases from regional Australia.
- Oxford Reference Online.
This is a free version available online.
Using Library SEARCH
You can use Library SEARCH to find dictionaries, thesauri and encyclopedias. You can use filters to search by 'Source Types' and refine your result to 'Books/eBooks'.
Search for your terms and then add relevant keywords according to your discipline area:
- Dictionar*
- Dictionar* AND literature
- Dictionar* AND history
- Dictionar* AND law
- Thesaurus
- Thesaurus AND English
- encyclopedia
- encyclopedia AND English
An example on searching for specific titles:
(dictionar* AND literary terms)
Titles such as an eBook version of the Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms will appear as available.
Other dictionary, thesauri and encyclopedia collections
You may wish to explore what other titles are available to you and held by other accessible libraries.
Check out the large collections of dictionaries, thesauri and encyclopedias held by the State Library of New South Wales and the National Library of Australia. This includes many online titles.
If you live within NSW you can join one of both these libraries as a member at no charge and have free remote access to select collections.
Further help
If you are a staff member looking for a specific dictionary or title that you require to support your teaching, contact us via lib-liaison-services@uow.edu.au for further support.
