The dict command in Linux is a powerful tool for accessing dictionary and thesaurus databases directly from the command line. It utilizes the DICT protocol to query various online and local dictionaries, making it an invaluable resource for developers, writers, and anyone needing quick definitions or synonyms.

Understanding the Dict Command

The dict command allows you to look up words and phrases in a wide range of linguistic databases. It's part of the dictd suite, which includes both client and server software for managing and accessing these dictionaries.

Basic Dict Command Usage

Here are some common ways to use the dict command:

List Available Dictionary Databases

To see all the dictionaries currently available on your system or accessible via the DICT protocol, use the -D flag:

# List available dictionary databases
dict -D

Get Information About a Specific Dictionary

If you want to know more about a particular dictionary, such as moby-thesaurus, use the -i flag followed by the database name:

# Get information about a dictionary database (e.g. moby-thesaurus)
dict -i moby-thesaurus

Look Up a Word in a Specific Database

To search for a word, like "use", within a specific dictionary, such as moby-thesaurus, use the -d flag followed by the database name and the word:

# Look up "use" in Moby-Thesaurus database
dict -d moby-thesaurus use

Look Up a Word in All Available Databases

For a comprehensive search across all configured dictionaries, simply provide the word you want to look up:

# Look up "perceive" in all available dictionary databases
dict perceive

List All Available Servers and Their Info

To get a list of all DICT servers that your client can connect to, along with their information, use the -I flag:

# List all the available dictionaries server and their info
dict -I

External Resources

• dict man page
• DICT protocol on Wikipedia
• GNU Dict Project