Specialized Dictionary Roundup
“A dictionary is a dictionary, right?” Wrong.
Word choice is important. Knowing why you chose a word even more so.
Just as there are many shades of blue, a single term can have many meanings and nuances that your chosen core dictionary may not have. For example, your go-to dictionary may not have medical terminology, abbreviations/acronyms, or slang.
Plus, as any professional editor knows, you have to justify changes that could be considered an opinion ("because I said so" usually doesn't cut it).
That's where specialized dictionaries come in.
Here is a roundup of specialized dictionaries we've used to ensure our clients are using the right words in the best way.
Taber’s Medical Dictionary – Medical terms and abbreviations
Black’s Veterinary Dictionary – Veterinary terms and insight into signs/symptoms
Techopedia – Information Technology (IT) terms and abbreviations
AcronymFinder – Abbreviation and acronym/initialism dictionary
DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms – US Military terms and definitions
Dictionary of American Regional English – Phrases that vary by state/region (e.g., pop vs. soda; tree lawn vs. Devil strip)
UrbanDictionary – A wiki of American slang (sometimes not safe for work)
What other specialized dictionaries have you used? Comment below!
