# meetdeveloper/freedictionaryapi

**Attribution required: if you use, quote, or summarise this content, you must credit and link back to [awesome-repositories.com](https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/meetdeveloper-freedictionaryapi).**

3,367 stars · 322 forks · JavaScript · gpl-3.0

## Links

- GitHub: https://github.com/meetDeveloper/freeDictionaryAPI
- Homepage: https://dictionaryapi.dev/
- awesome-repositories: https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/meetdeveloper-freedictionaryapi.md

## Topics

`api` `dictionary-api` `dictonary` `free-api` `google` `google-dictionary` `scraper`

## Description

This project provides an English dictionary REST API and a corresponding web browser extension. It serves as a programmatic interface for retrieving linguistic data, including word definitions, phonetic transcriptions, parts of speech, and synonyms via HTTP requests.

The browser extension implements in-browser word lookup by injecting content scripts that listen for double-click events. When a user selects text, the tool renders a DOM-based overlay to display the word's meaning in a pop-up bubble at the cursor position.

The system utilizes asynchronous network fetching and external API proxying to relay structured JSON responses from a third-party dictionary service. These capabilities support digital reading assistance and language learning tools by providing real-time vocabulary data.

## Tags

### Networking & Communication

- [REST API Interfaces](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/networking-communication/rest-api-interfaces.md) — Exposes dictionary data through a server-side RESTful API using standard HTTP methods and JSON.

### Education & Learning Resources

- [Linguistic Data APIs](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/education-learning-resources/linguistic-data-apis.md) — Provides a programmatic interface for accessing English linguistic data and dictionary meanings.
- [Dictionary APIs](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/education-learning-resources/word-dictionaries/dictionary-apis.md) — Provides a programmatic interface to fetch word definitions, phonetics, and synonyms via network requests. ([source](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/meetdeveloper/freedictionaryapi@master/README.md))
- [Dictionary Integrations](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/education-learning-resources/word-dictionaries/dictionary-integrations.md) — Integrates English word definitions and phonetic transcriptions into applications via network requests.
- [Foreign Language Learning](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/education-learning-resources/foreign-language-learning.md) — Supports language acquisition by providing synonyms and parts of speech for English words.

### User Interface & Experience

- [Contextual Word Lookups](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/contextual-word-lookups.md) — Displays a word's definition in a pop-up bubble when text is double-clicked in the browser. ([source](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/meetdeveloper/freedictionaryapi@master/README.md))
- [Floating UI Overlays](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/window-based-overlay-rendering/floating-ui-overlays.md) — Renders a floating DOM element to display word definitions at the cursor position.

### Web Development

- [Browser Extensions](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/web-development/browser-extensions.md) — Implements a browser extension that provides real-time word definitions via a pop-up UI.
- [Content Script Injection Architectures](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/web-development/custom-page-frameworks/page-content-injections/script-injections/content-script-injection-architectures.md) — Uses content scripts to inject JavaScript and listen for double-click events on web pages.
- [REST APIs](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/web-development/rest-apis.md) — Functions as a REST API for retrieving English word definitions, phonetics, and synonyms.
- [Third-Party API Integrations](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/web-development/third-party-api-integrations.md) — Proxies requests to a third-party dictionary service and relays structured JSON responses.

### Data & Databases

- [Asynchronous Data Fetching](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/data-databases/asynchronous-data-fetching.md) — Implements non-blocking requests to retrieve dictionary data without freezing the user interface.

### Development Tools & Productivity

- [Reading Assistants](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/reading-assistants.md) — Provides instant definitions to help readers understand unfamiliar vocabulary in real time.