You do not always need to cite and reference a dictionary definition. ... As subject dictionaries and encyclopedias are usually written by a specific author/s or organisation, and contextual definitions are provided, you will need to cite and reference them in the usual way.

How do you cite a dictionary definition?

If you are citing a full dictionary in your reference list, you would place the title of the dictionary in the position where the author's name would normally go, so it would look like this: Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th ed.). (1999). Merriam-Webster Incorporated.

Do word definitions need to be cited?

A definition retrieved from a print source would be cited like a standard book chapter citation: ... To cite a definition within the text, you would place the defined word and the date of publication in parentheses after the relevant phrase and before the punctuation mark.