Right-click dictionary lookup opens a definition for a word or phrase where you encounter it, using a context menu instead of sending you to a dictionary to retype it. On a Mac, Apple documents the built-in command as Control-click the word or phrase, then choose Look Up. Some apps require you to select the text first.
What right-click dictionary lookup means
It is a shortcut for requesting a definition of selected or pointed-to text from the app or page you are already using. The definition may appear in a small result window, with options to expand the entry, open Dictionary, or inspect other information when available.
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“Right-click dictionary lookup” describes the interaction, not one universal feature with identical menus across every device. The operating system, app, browser, settings, and any installed extension determine whether the command exists and what it does.
How to look up a word on a Mac
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In an app or webpage, Control-click the word or phrase. If the app does not identify the text automatically, select it first.
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Choose Look Up from the shortcut menu.
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Use the result window’s available controls to see a fuller definition, open Dictionary, or view other categories if the app offers them.
On a trackpad, a three-finger tap can also invoke Look Up if that gesture is enabled in Trackpad settings. On a supported trackpad, Force Click can work when enabled. These are alternative ways to invoke the lookup, not separate dictionary services.
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What determines the definition you see
Selected dictionary sources
The result depends in part on the sources enabled in Dictionary settings. You can select or deselect sources there; changing that selection changes what may appear in a lookup. If a word is missing from the selected sources, Dictionary may offer alternatives instead of the entry you expected.
App support and restrictions
Some apps need a word or phrase selected before Look Up appears or identifies the intended text. Availability and menu wording can differ between apps and platforms. Screen Time restrictions can also limit Dictionary use, so a missing result is not necessarily evidence that the word has no definition.
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Why the command may differ in a browser or another app
On macOS, Apple documents the built-in Look Up interaction. Apple’s developer documentation also describes a system API for presenting a dictionary definition for selected content, which gives app developers a way to provide that kind of system lookup. That does not mean every browser or app exposes the same command.
A browser extension can provide a separate workflow—for example, selecting a word and choosing a lookup command from the browser’s context menu. That is extension-specific behavior, not proof that all browsers include built-in dictionary lookup. Before relying on a workflow, check whether it is supplied by the operating system, the app, or an extension, and whether it works in the particular page or text field you use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Privacy considerations on Mac
Apple’s Mac Dictionary guidance says messages, emails, and other content are not sent to Apple for the lookup. It also says identified Look Up hints and related usage data may be sent. That statement applies to Apple’s documented Mac feature; it should not be assumed to describe a third-party browser extension or another platform. For an extension, consult its own privacy information to understand what text or usage data it handles.
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