Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
With clear definitions and useful study extras, this monolingual dictionary can help you on your way to becoming a confident, natural-sounding English speaker.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary is the best dictionary for general British English on Cambridge Dictionaries Online. Select "British English" from the list of dictionaries at the top of any page on Cambridge Dictionaries Online to search this dictionary.
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Key Features
Understand the meaning
Clear, simple and accurate definitions using easy-to-understand language: check the definition for polyhedron. More advanced meanings are given for more common words: check all the meanings for nut.
Find the meaning
Use the guidewords to identify the meaning that you are looking for. Look at the More Results panel next to the entry for hand.
Learn how to use the word
Thousands of natural example sentences that show how the word is used in context: The entry for the verb protest shows that it is used with the preposition against.
British English and American Pronunciation
Hear the words spoken online with thousands of recordings: Try listening to the two different pronunciations for the word sanctuary.
Also available as a book
Get the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary from Cambridge ELT
- 'Word partner' boxes show you how to use words in the most natural way.
- 'Extra help' section includes maps, illustrations and photos.
- 'Let's Talk' section focuses specifically on spoken English.
- 'Common mistakes' boxes help you avoid typical errors.
- Thesaurus panels help you widen your vocabulary.
Other dictionaries
- The Cambridge Essential Dictionary is suitable for elementary learners.
- The Cambridge Learner's Dictionary is suitable for intermediate learners.
- Intermediate and upper-intermediate students of American English may prefer to use the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary.
- The Cambridge Business English Dictionary contains definitions and examples of business terms.
In other dictionaries...
If you search for a word, then decide you want to see what another Cambridge dictionary says about it, you can use the ‘In other dictionaries’ section on the right.
For example if you look up the definition for expenditure in British English, then want to find out what the American English dictionary says, click on ‘American English’. If you then want to find a Spanish translation for that word, click on ‘in Spanish’.
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