WordWeb
Encyclopedia
WordWeb is an international English
dictionary
and thesaurus
program for Microsoft Windows
and iPhone
. Available for download online, the program is partly based on the WordNet
database.
The program usually resides in the tray, and has a low system footprint.
Users can also actively improve the dictionary and thesaurus by submitting errors (such as missing words/phrases/senses) and enhancement requests.
, or customization features), and the paid version, called 'WordWeb Pro'.
WordWeb 5 added the ability to list entries from three web sources: Wikipedia
, Wiktionary
, and WordWeb Online. These details are presented in three separate tabs, which are built into the client application. Version 6 added audio pronunciations and support for third-party Oxford and Chambers add-on dictionaries.
, however, it can be used with Wine
. A similar program which includes WordWeb Pro's features, Artha is available for both Linux and Windows; a port to Macintosh is promised.
, British
, Canadian
, American
, Irish
, New Zealand
, South African
, and Indian
English.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
dictionary
Dictionary
A dictionary is a collection of words in one or more specific languages, often listed alphabetically, with usage information, definitions, etymologies, phonetics, pronunciations, and other information; or a book of words in one language with their equivalents in another, also known as a lexicon...
and thesaurus
Thesaurus
A thesaurus is a reference work that lists words grouped together according to similarity of meaning , in contrast to a dictionary, which contains definitions and pronunciations...
program for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
. Available for download online, the program is partly based on the WordNet
WordNet
WordNet is a lexical database for the English language. It groups English words into sets of synonyms called synsets, provides short, general definitions, and records the various semantic relations between these synonym sets...
database.
Functions
The program is activated by holding down CTRL and right-clicking on a word in almost any program. This opens the WordWeb main window, with definitions and other help.The program usually resides in the tray, and has a low system footprint.
- Phrase guessing – for example, CTRL + right-clicking on the 'Princeton' in 'Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
' will show the meaning of the combined entity rather than only 'Princeton'.
- Words from pictures – CTRL + right-clicking on a word within an image (for example, the 'Free' in the WikipediaWikipediaWikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
logo) will ask WordWeb to guess the word.
Information
The thesaurus is integrated into the dictionary; synonyms, as well as detailed categorization of the relationship between words, are shown under the definition. The program shows:- synonymSynonymSynonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn and onoma . The words car and automobile are synonyms...
s - antonymAntonymIn lexical semantics, opposites are words that lie in an inherently incompatible binary relationship as in the opposite pairs male : female, long : short, up : down, and precede : follow. The notion of incompatibility here refers to the fact that one word in an opposite pair entails that it is not...
s - type of ('daisy' is listed as a type of 'flowerFlowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
') - types ('playPlay (theatre)A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
' lists several sub-types of play, including 'passion playPassion playA Passion play is a dramatic presentation depicting the Passion of Jesus Christ: his trial, suffering and death. It is a traditional part of Lent in several Christian denominations, particularly in Catholic tradition....
') - parts (under 'forestForestA forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
', listed parts include 'treeTreeA tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
' and 'underbrush') - part of ('bumperBumperAn automobile's bumper is the front-most or rear-most part, ostensibly designed to allow the car to sustain an impact without damage to the vehicle's safety systems...
' is a part of a 'carČarČar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
', 'truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
', or 'machineMachineA machine manages power to accomplish a task, examples include, a mechanical system, a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work...
') - similar (words that are not synonyms, but nearby; 'big' is listed as similar to 'huge')
Users can also actively improve the dictionary and thesaurus by submitting errors (such as missing words/phrases/senses) and enhancement requests.
Versions
The program has two versions: the free version (which does not have the word list, search, anagramAnagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
, or customization features), and the paid version, called 'WordWeb Pro'.
WordWeb 5 added the ability to list entries from three web sources: Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
, Wiktionary
Wiktionary
Wiktionary is a multilingual, web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in 158 languages...
, and WordWeb Online. These details are presented in three separate tabs, which are built into the client application. Version 6 added audio pronunciations and support for third-party Oxford and Chambers add-on dictionaries.
Open-source alternative
No version of WordWeb (including Pro) is available for UnixUnix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
, however, it can be used with Wine
Wine (software)
Wine is a free software application that aims to allow computer programs written for Microsoft Windows to run on Unix-like operating systems. Wine also provides a software library, known as Winelib, against which developers can compile Windows applications to help port them to Unix-like...
. A similar program which includes WordWeb Pro's features, Artha is available for both Linux and Windows; a port to Macintosh is promised.
License
Use of the free version is subject to license terms. However, it might be used by an educational institution (free of cost) for their students, even if they violate said terms.Regions
WordWeb is regionalized, with specific dictionaries for AustralianAustralian English
Australian English is the name given to the group of dialects spoken in Australia that form a major variety of the English language....
, British
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
, Canadian
Canadian English
Canadian English is the variety of English spoken in Canada. English is the first language, or "mother tongue", of approximately 24 million Canadians , and more than 28 million are fluent in the language...
, American
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
, Irish
Hiberno-English
Hiberno-English is the dialect of English written and spoken in Ireland .English was first brought to Ireland during the Norman invasion of the late 12th century. Initially it was mainly spoken in an area known as the Pale around Dublin, with Irish spoken throughout the rest of the country...
, New Zealand
New Zealand English
New Zealand English is the dialect of the English language used in New Zealand.The English language was established in New Zealand by colonists during the 19th century. It is one of "the newest native-speaker variet[ies] of the English language in existence, a variety which has developed and...
, South African
South African English
The term South African English is applied to the first-language dialects of English spoken by South Africans, with the L1 English variety spoken by Zimbabweans, Zambians and Namibians, being recognised as offshoots.There is some social and regional variation within South African English...
, and Indian
Indian English
Indian English is an umbrella term used to describe dialects of the English language spoken primarily in the Republic of India.As a result of British colonial rule until Indian independence in 1947 English is an official language of India and is widely used in both spoken and literary contexts...
English.