dictionary-monger
- noun
- /ˈdɪkʃəˌnɛri ˈmʌŋɡər/
- Offensive
:
pedante
- At every gathering, the dictionary-monger finds a way to correct someone's use of language.
Examples
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His tendency to act as a dictionary-monger often disrupts casual conversation.
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Some consider being a dictionary-monger helpful, while others find it annoying.
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He is such a dictionary-monger when it comes to grammar.
-
Don't be a dictionary-monger about every word!
-
At every gathering, the dictionary-monger finds a way to correct someone's use of language.
-
His tendency to act as a dictionary-monger often disrupts casual conversation.
-
Some consider being a dictionary-monger helpful, while others find it annoying.
Synonyms
2
8.6
A person who cares too much about small rules and corrects others often
A person who argues about the meaning of words
How Pedantic
- Offensive
2
8.6
- Offensive
1
8.7
21
7.9
28
6.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
dictionary-monger = dictionary + monger (transparent) = dictionary + monger
The compound directly combines 'dictionary' and the productive '-monger' element meaning 'one who deals in or promotes', so the sense is inferable from its parts.
Etymology
Dictionary-monger combines dictionary ('a book of word meanings') with monger ('seller'), a word you also see in fishmonger and warmonger. So a dictionary-monger is someone who 'sells' or pushes definitions on others, which means a person who is too eager to correct or argue about words.