Word Meaningexample, the word morphology is used in linguistics, biology, and various
other sciences. Dictionaries have a variety of ways of dealing with field infor-
mation. The following partial entry from Webster’s New Twentieth Century
Dictionary Unabridged (2nd Edition) (WNTC) illustrates how editors may
use the separation of senses to separate fields by embedding the field name
(bolded) in the definition.
morphol ogy - the branch of biology that deals with the form and structure of ani-
mals and plants, without regard to function. - the branch of linguistics that deals with the internal structure and
forms of words: with syntax, it forms a basic division of grammar. - any scientific study of forms and structure, as in physical geography,
etc. - (a) form and structure, as of an organism, regarded as a whole; (b)
morphological features collectively, as of a language. (WNTC: 1170; em-
phasis added)
Other dictionaries, such as WNWD, use italicized labels like Chem. that
precede the definition:
binary 4 Chem. composed of two elements or radicals, or of one
element and one radical (WNWD: 141)Cross referencing
To indicate the relations that words develop, maintain, and break off with
other words, dictionaries cross-reference words in various ways. WNWD
uses “see,” “also,” same as, and several other expressions for this purpose.
automatic SYN see spontaneous (WNWD: 95)
coffee klatch (or klatsch) same as kaffeeklatsch (WNWD: 275)
Inflections
All dictionaries provide some information about the inflections of major
parts of speech, generally only those that are irregular either in spelling or
in pronunciation (though some dictionaries, including AHD and Webster’s,
provide all verb inflections). The inflections are typically abbreviated by
omitting the unchanged part of the word, for example: