How to Cite a Dictionary Entry in APA

Cite a dictionary entry in APA 7 with four parts: author or publisher, year, entry title, and URL. If the dictionary updates continuously (like Merriam-Webster online), use "n.d." for the year and add a retrieval date.

The Basic Format

APA 7 treats dictionary entries as reference works. The publisher often stands in as the author when no individual is credited.

Reference list template:

Author or Publisher. (Year). Entry title. In Title of dictionary (edition if given). Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL

In-text template:

(Author or Publisher, Year) or (Author or Publisher, n.d.)

The retrieval date only shows up when the source changes over time. A print dictionary from 2015 doesn't need one. A live web dictionary does.

Merriam-Webster Online (Continuously Updated)

Merriam-Webster is the case most students hit. It's updated regularly, so APA wants "n.d." plus a retrieval date.

Reference:

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Ephemeral. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ephemeral

In-text:

(Merriam-Webster, n.d.)

Notice a few things. The publisher name is the author. The entry word is capitalized and not italicized. The dictionary title is italicized. No period after the URL.

Print Dictionary With an Edition

If you're pulling from a bound book like the American Heritage Dictionary, cite the specific edition and drop the retrieval date.

Reference:

American Heritage Publishing. (2018). Ephemeral. In American Heritage dictionary of the English language (5th ed.). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

In-text:

(American Heritage Publishing, 2018)

Print sources are stable, so readers can find the exact wording you saw. That's why no retrieval date is needed.

Signed Entries (Rare but Real)

Some specialty dictionaries credit individual authors, especially in law, medicine, or philosophy. When you see a byline, use it.

Reference:

Zalta, E. N. (2020). Aristotle's ethics. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Summer 2020 ed.). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2020/entries/aristotle-ethics/

Yes, that's technically an encyclopedia, but the pattern is identical for signed dictionary entries. Author last name, initials, year, entry title, editor, work title, edition, publisher, URL.

Foreign Language Dictionaries

Cite in the original language, then add a bracketed translation of the entry title if your reader might not know it.

Reference:

Real Academia Española. (n.d.). Efímero [Ephemeral]. In Diccionario de la lengua española. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://dle.rae.es/ef%C3%ADmero

Brackets are for your reader. Italics stay on the dictionary title.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't italicize the entry word. The word being defined stays in plain type. Only the dictionary title gets italics.

Don't use the copyright year on a live site. Merriam-Webster's footer says "© 2026," but that's the site copyright, not the entry date. Use "n.d." for online reference works that don't stamp individual entries.

Don't skip the URL. APA 7 dropped the "Retrieved from" phrase for stable sources, but the URL itself is still required for anything you accessed online.

Don't add a period after the URL. Ending punctuation after a link can confuse readers about where the address stops.

Don't cite "Webster's" generically. There are multiple publishers using variations of the Webster name. Be specific: Merriam-Webster, New World, Random House Webster's. Each is a different work.

When You Only Cited It Once

Some instructors let you skip the reference list for a single dictionary definition if you cite the source fully in the text. Example:

According to Merriam-Webster (n.d.), ephemeral means "lasting a very short time."

Check your assignment guidelines first. Many courses still want the full reference regardless.

Quick Checklist

Before you submit, confirm each entry has:

1. Author or publisher (usually the dictionary's publisher)
2. Year, or "n.d." for continuously updated works
3. Entry title, capitalized, not italicized
4. Dictionary title, italicized
5. Edition, if a print work
6. Retrieval date, only for evolving sources
7. URL, no period after

That's the whole system. Once you've done two or three, the pattern sticks.

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