The process of quoting definitions from a dictionary is slightly different from the process of quoting a book, but it is still easy to understand. Citation in MLA style indicates to readers the source you are accessing so you need to include specific information about the entry in question. Add an in-text citation (in brackets) right after the sentence containing the quoted information. On the bibliography page or works cited, include the term, the title of the dictionary, the edition, the date of publication, and the page number containing the definition. For online dictionaries, include the URL and date of access to the dictionary site.
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Method 1 of 3: Creating In-Text Quotes
Step 1. Add an in-text quote at the end of the sentence containing the term from thursday
Use parentheses to create in-text citations. Simply state the term you are defining and enclose it in quotation marks, then enclose it in parentheses. Keep in mind that you need to capitalize the first letter of the term.
- An in-text citation would look something like this: (“Onomatopoeia”). Instead of placing it immediately after the sentence, add a period after the quote in the text like this: Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates or suggests the sound it describes (“Onomatopoeia”).
- For Indonesian: Onomatopoeia is a word that resembles or reflects the sound it describes (“Onomatopoeia”).
Step 2. List the definition numbers for words with multiple definition entries
The purpose of the MLA citation style is to direct the reader to the right location of the source. Some words have multiple definitions or can be used as multiple word classes so you need to specify the entries to use/quote. Add a comma after the term, write down the abbreviation “def.”, then state the word class and entry number.
- For example, a quote in your text would look like this: (“Turn”, def. V. 2a). Keep in mind that the letter "V." is an abbreviation for a verb. Use the abbreviation “Adj.” for adjectives or adjectives, and "N." for nouns or nouns.
- Write down the word class and definition number as they appear in your dictionary. The dictionary may display or manage entries by number and letter (eg “1a”), or by number only (eg “1.2”).
- If a word has multiple definition entries, but they all fall into the same word class, simply provide the entry number: (“Wonderful”, def. 2).
Step 3. Place the title of the dictionary in parentheses if you mention multiple entries
To distinguish each entry from several different dictionaries, enclose the term in quotation marks and the dictionary title in italics. Place a comma after the term, then enter the title of the dictionary in parentheses.
- For example: (“Emoticons”, [Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary]).
- Let's say you use the definition of the word "Emoticon" from the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary. If your in-text citations are displayed only as (“Emoticons”) or (“Emoticons,” N.), readers won't be able to tell which dictionary you're using or referring to.
Method 2 of 3: Quoting Print Dictionary
Step 1. Begin the bibliography entry with the defined term and enclose it in quotation marks
To begin a bibliography entry, enter the term you are using, and then add a period. For a basic example: “Content”.
- If you have already mentioned the word class and definition number, list them both in the bibliography entry: “Content”, def. N. 1c.
- Since no author information is known, use the first letter of the term used when you alphabetize your bibliography entries. For example, you could include a “Content” entry after the source entry written by “Butler, J.” and before the source entry written by “Darwin, C.”
Step 2. Type the title of the dictionary in italic text
Add one space after the term (enclose it in quotation marks). After that, type the title of the dictionary, followed by a comma.
At this stage, the bibliography entry should look like this: “Content”, def. N. 1c. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary,
Step 3. Mention the edition of the dictionary if you are taking the definition from a newer edition of the dictionary
Check the back of the dictionary's title page for the edition number. If you take the definition from the first edition of the dictionary, you do not need to include the edition number. Use the abbreviation "ed." and add a comma after the period in the abbreviation. For Indonesian, use the phrase “th edition”.
- Now your entry should look like this: “Content,”, def. N. 1c. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed.,
- For Indonesian: “Content,”, def. N. 1c. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition,
Step 4. State the date of publication of the dictionary
Look for the date of publication of the dictionary on the title page of the dictionary. Write the year after the edition, then insert a comma.
- Add issue date like this: “Content”, def. N. 1c. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed., 2003,
- For Indonesian: “Content,”, def. N. 1c. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, 2003,
Step 5. Include the page number at the end of the entry
Use the abbreviation "p." or "things." and write down the page number containing the definition. End the entry by adding a period after the page number.
- Your final entry should look like this: “Content”, def. N. 1c. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed., 2003, p. 269.
- For Indonesian: “Content,”, def. N. 1c. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed., 2003, p. 269.
- If the definition appears on two pages, you can write it like this: “pp. 269-270.” or “p. 269-270.”
Method 3 of 3: Citing Online Dictionaries
Step 1. Begin the entry with the term and the name of the online dictionary
To begin a bibliography entry, state the term you are using and enclose it in quotation marks, and include the word class and definition number. Place a period after the term and definition number, then type the name of the online dictionary in italic text.
The first part of the bibliography entry for the online dictionary looks like the bibliography entry for the printed dictionary: “Content”, def. N. 1.1. Oxford English Dictionary,
Step 2. Use the copyright date shown at the bottom of the website page
Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the “©” symbol followed by the year. Include the year (just the year, without the copyright symbol) after the name of the online dictionary, then insert a comma after it.
At this point, your entry should look like this: “Content”, def. N. 1.1. Oxford English Dictionary, 2018,
Step 3. Do not include the “https” element when you add the URL
When citing online sources in the MLA citation style, list all elements after the “www.” element, then add a period after the URL. If the link doesn't display the “www.” element, add any subdomains (the letter before the first dot in the link) that is displayed. For example: “en.oxford.com” and “dictionary.cambridge.org.”
Include the URL in the entry like this: “Content”, def. N. 1.1. Oxford English Dictionary, 2018, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/content
Step 4. State the year of website access
Since the website is not permanent, end the entry by stating the date of access. Use the web history feature to find out the exact date of your visit to the dictionary website. Write the word “Accessed” or the phrase “Accessed on”, add the date in the format “date month year”, then insert a period.
- Your full entry should look like this: “Content”, def. N. 1.1. Oxford English Dictionary, 2018, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/content. Accessed 23 September 2018.
- For Indonesian: “Content”, def. N. 1.1. Oxford English Dictionary, 2018, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/content. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
