Cambridge Dictionary is an online reference for English definitions, translation lookup, pronunciation, and word study, with dictionaries for learners, academic and business use, plus bilingual translation dictionaries. Its content draws on the Cambridge English Corpus, which Cambridge says contains more than 1.5 billion words of real English. Pronunciation pages include British and American audio, phonetic transcriptions, and videos demonstrating words in speech and sentences. The thesaurus provides synonyms, antonyms, usage examples, and explanations of differences between words and phrases in British and American English. Cambridge Dictionary +Plus adds quizzes, word lists, and word games; users can create, download, and share free lists and quizzes, with up to 500 words in a list. The online plan is free and includes dictionaries and +Plus word lists and quizzes. Cambridge also offers an API, a free double-click dictionary search for websites, and search widgets. It is available on the web, Android, iOS, and as an extension, and covers 29 languages.
Who it is for
It suits English learners at different levels, people preparing for Cambridge English exams or IELTS, and anyone looking up meanings, translations, or pronunciation. Website operators can also consider its API, double-click search, or widgets.
What is good
- British and American audio pronunciations are available.
- Entries include usage examples.
- Thesaurus includes synonyms and antonyms.
- Free +Plus lists and quizzes can be shared.
- Available on web, Android, iOS, and as an extension.
What to know first
- Word lists are limited to 500 words each.
- Licensed data set pricing is discussed per organisation.
- Cambridge says its learner dictionaries are intended for English learning.
Verdict
Cambridge Dictionary combines reference material with pronunciation, translation, and study tools. Its free plan includes online dictionaries and +Plus word lists and quizzes; licensed data sets are priced through individual discussions.
Get started with Cambridge Dictionary
- Open https://dictionary.cambridge.org/ on the web.
- Use the free online dictionaries and +Plus word lists and quizzes.
- Access the service on Android or iOS, or use its browser extension.
- For website integration, explore the Dictionary API, double-click search, or search widgets.
What the free plan stops at
Each word list can contain up to 500 words. The free online plan includes dictionaries and +Plus word lists and quizzes.
Questions about Cambridge Dictionary
Is Cambridge Dictionary free?
The online plan is free and includes the dictionaries, +Plus word lists, and quizzes.
Which platforms can I use?
Cambridge Dictionary is available on the web, Android, iOS, and as an extension.
What languages does it cover?
Its bilingual dictionaries cover 29 languages.
What pronunciation support does it offer?
Pronunciation pages include British and American audio, phonetic transcriptions, and videos showing words and sentences.
Does Cambridge offer tools for websites?
It offers a Dictionary API, a free double-click dictionary search for websites, and search widgets.
Can an account and saved word lists be deleted?
Cambridge says users can delete account data including their profile, login information, and saved word lists.
Cambridge Dictionary plans and pricing
All plansCompared on online dictionaries
- Free plan
- Yes
- Audio pronunciation
- Yes
- Usage examples
- Yes
- Translation lookup
- Yes
- Mobile apps
- ios_android
- Languages covered
- 29
