An abridged dictionary only lists and defines the most common words in a language. This is an American English language dictionary, so it only defines words used by English speaking Americans. If we have questions on how to use a dictionary we can turn to the front of the dictionary and there you will find usage guidelines. This word may not be familiar. In order to use the word properly in our research paper we may want to consult a dictionary.
Unabridged dictionaries claim to list and define all the words used in a language.
The Random House Unabridged Dictionary is a popular example of an unabridged dictionary. These dictionaries are very large and bulky and are usually found on a special dictionary stand in the library. An unabridged dictionary also provides us with a much more detailed introduction and teaches us more about the language. This tells us the date the word entered the language. Most dates are expressed as a spread of years since most words do not enter the written language the same year they are first spoken.