Definitions in a unilingual dictionary

The third group of lexicographic problems is the problem of definitions in a unilingual dictionary. The explanation of meaning may be achieved by a group of synonyms which together give a general idea. But one synonym is never sufficient for it because no absolute synonyms exist. If synonyms are the only type of explanation used, the user will be placed in a vicious circle of synonymic references, with not a single word actually explained.

Definitions serve the purpose much better. Definitions are of two main types. If they are only concerned with words as speech material, they are called lіnguіstіc. If they are concerned with things for which the words are names, they are termed encyclopaedic.

American dictionaries are for the most part traditionally encyclopaedic, with much attention paid to graphic illustration. They give their readers far more information about facts and things than their British dictionaries, which are more linguistic and are occupied with purely lexical data giving grammatical properties of words, their components, their stylistic features, etc. Opinions differ upon the optimum proportion of linguistic and encyclopaedic material.