What’s in a word?

In our past few English lessons I became aware of the fact that there is much more to a word than just its obvious meaning. That means that especially when learning a word you cannot simply be satisfied with knowing its translation. In order to really KNOW a word, you have to know several aspects of it, like the following:

• Pronunciation

It is important to know how to pronounce a word correctly in order to be able to use it in spoken conversation or to recognize it when it is used by somebody else.

• Spelling

Obviously you have to know how to spell a word in order to produce it correctly.

• Collocations

Knowing how a word combines with other words or which phrases the word is commonly used in helps you to use it properly.

• Register

Also, you have to know in which situation or context the word can be used. A register that is too formal or informal might lead to misunderstandings or awkward situations.

But where can you find all these aspects of a word? - Ideally in a good dictionary. We compared some monolingual online dictionaries in class and I would like to present my personal top three online dictionaries to you:

-       Thesaurus
      This dictionary is particularly useful if you are looking for synonyms and try to make your text more varied. It also has some really cool extra features, for example you can order the results by complexity or by how common they are.

-       Merriam Webster
      Even though the MW dictionary for native speakers provides a lot of information about a word, like for instance various definitions, example sentences and even facts about the word's origin, some definitions are rather difficult. However, for those who prefer simpler definitions, the MW learner’s dictionary is great. On this site you can also find beneficial pronunciation exercises.

-       Vocabulary.com
      This dictionary provides great definitions and a variety of example sentences. Also, you can listen to the pronunciation of every word. From my point of view, this dictionary can help to get to know a word from many different angles. In addition, you can sign up on this website and create your personal vocabulary lists, take quizzes, etc... Personally, I find this dictionary's layout as well as its content the most attractive.