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Glite Dictionary
guide word

guide word

3.0
A word at the top of a dictionary page showing the first or last entry on that page
  • noun
  • /ɡaɪd wɜrd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : palabra guía
  • The guide word at the top of the page made it easy to locate the right entry.

Examples

  • She checked the guide word to see if her word appeared on that dictionary page.

  • The guide word at the top of the page helps you find entries quickly.

  • Each page of the handbook included a guide word for quick reference.

  • Can you see the guide words on the dictionary page?

  • Each page of the handbook included a guide word for quick reference.

  • The guide word at the top of the page made it easy to locate the right entry.

  • She checked the guide word to see if her word appeared on that dictionary page.

Synonyms

guideword
vsguide word
6.3

A word at the top of a dictionary page showing the first or last entry

is the same meaning but written as two separate words
catchword
vsguide word
  • Specialized
8.8

A word printed at the top of a page showing the first or last entry on that page

is the same concept but named differently in other sources

Surface Forms

guide word singular
guide words plural

Morphology

guide + word

The compound meaning is directly derivable from 'guide' (something that directs) + 'word' (a lexical item): a word that directs or helps you find entries. This is a straightforward, compositional lexical combination comparable to terms in other languages and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Guide word comes from old dictionaries that printed a small guide word at the top of each page to show the 'first' or 'last' entry on that page. That's why a 'guide word' is the word printed to help you quickly find the right page.