A law dictionary (also known as legal dictionary) is a

dictionary A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged Alphabetical order, alphabetically (or by Semitic root, consonantal root for Semitic languages or radical-and-stroke sorting, radical an ...

that is designed and compiled to give

information Information is an Abstraction, abstract concept that refers to something which has the power Communication, to inform. At the most fundamental level, it pertains to the Interpretation (philosophy), interpretation (perhaps Interpretation (log ...

about terms used in the field of

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

Types

Distinctions are made among various types of law dictionaries. Differentiating factors include: * Number of languages covered: a

monolingual Monoglottism ( Greek μόνος ''monos'', "alone, solitary", + γλῶττα , "tongue, language") or, more commonly, monolingualism or unilingualism, is the condition of being able to speak only a single language, as opposed to multilingualism. ...

law dictionary covers one

language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...

, a

bilingual Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. When the languages are just two, it is usually called bilingualism. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolin ...

covers two. * Number of fields covered: a

single-field dictionary A single-field dictionary is a specialized dictionary A specialized dictionary is a dictionary that covers a relatively restricted set of phenomena. The definitive book on the subject (Cowie 2009) includes chapters on some of the dictionaries ...

covers an entire field of law, whereas a

sub-field dictionary A sub-field dictionary is a specialized dictionary that has been designed and compiled to cover the terms of one (or possibly more) sub-fields of a particular subject field. It is therefore a sub-division of the class of dictionary called a sin ...

covers a part of a field of law, e.g. a dictionary of

contract law A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more Party (law), parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, Service (economics), services, money, or pr ...

Quality

A good bilingual or

multilingual Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. When the languages are just two, it is usually called bilingualism. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolin ...

law dictionary needs to take the users' expected languages and professional competences into account. The

lexicographers This list contains people who contributed to the field of lexicography, the theory and practice of compiling dictionaries. __NOTOC__ A * Maulvi Abdul Haq (India/Pakistan, 1872–1961) Baba-e-Urdu, English-Urdu dictionary *Ivar Aasen (Norway, 181 ...

therefore must consider the following aspects: dictionary user research, dictionary

typology A typology is a system of classification used to organize things according to similar or dissimilar characteristics. Groups of things within a typology are known as "types". Typologies are distinct from taxonomies in that they primarily address t ...

, structure, and presentation of relevant information. When making a law dictionary, the lexicographers attempt to present the information in such a way that the user is not burdened with excessive lexicographic information costs.

Functions

As pointed out by

Sandro Nielsen Sandro Nielsen (born 1961) is a Danish metalexicographer, Associate Professor at Centre for Lexicography at the Aarhus School of Business, Denmark, from where he received his PhD in 1992. Nielsen has contributed to lexicography as a theoretical a ...

in 1994, law dictionaries can serve various functions. The traditional law dictionary with definitions of legal terms serves to help users understand the legal texts they read (a communicative function) or to acquire knowledge about ''legal matters independent of any te''xt (a cognitive function) – such law dictionaries are usually monolingual. Bilingual law dictionaries may also serve a variety of functions. First, they may have entry words in one language and definitions in another language – these dictionaries give help to understand legal texts, usually written in a foreign language, and to acquire knowledge, usually about a foreign legal system. Second, bilingual law dictionaries with entry words in one language and equivalents in another language provide help to translate legal texts, into or from a foreign language, and sometimes also to produce legal texts, usually in a foreign language.

Formats

With the advance of technology, the legal dictionary has made its way onto the Internet and

smartphone A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multi ...

s. Law students and litigants can now look up the meaning of legal terms in seconds.

Legal terminology textbook

Unlike a law dictionary, which arranges and defines legal words and phrases individually and in alphabetical order, a

legal terminology textbook Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a Socia ...

arranges and defines legal words and phrases in groups and by topic. As a result, a student or other person interested in understanding an array of related legal words and phrases may prefer to use a legal terminology textbook instead.

Selected works

Australia

* Trischa Mann & Audrey Blunden, eds. ''Australian Law Dictionary,'' 3rd edn. Melbourne: Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand, 2017. * P. E. Nygh & Peter Butt, eds. ''LexisNexis Australian Legal Dictionary,'' 2nd edn. Chatswood, N.S.W.: LexisNexis Butterworths, 2016 (1st edn. ''Butterworth's Australian legal dictionary,'' 1998).

Canada

* Stephen Gerard Coughlan, John A. Yogis, & Catherine Cotter. ''Canadian Law Dictionary,'' 7th edn. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barrons Educational Series, 2013. * Anne Des Ormeaux & Jean-Marie Lessard. ''Legal Dictionary of Property in Canada: Common Law, Civil Law.'' 2 vols. Ottawa: Communications Branch, Dept. of Justice Canada, 2009. * Nancy McCormack. ''The Dictionary of Canadian Law,'' 5th edn. Originally by Daphne A. Dukelow. Toronto: Thomson Reuters, 2020. ** Nancy McCormack. ''Pocket Dictionary of Canadian Law,'' 6th edn. Originally by Daphne A. Dukelow. Toronto: Thomson Reuters, 2023. * Kevin Patrick McGuinness. ''The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Canadian Law.'' 3 vols. Toronto: LexisNexis Canada, 2021. * Hubert Reid & Simon Reid. ''Dictionnaire de Droit Québécois et Canadien,'' 5th edn. Montreal: Wilson & Lafleur, 2015.

England & Wales

* Daniel Greenberg, ed. '' Jowitt's Dictionary of English Law,'' 5th edn. London: Sweet & Maxwell, 2015. * Daniel Greenberg, ed. '' Stroud's Judicial Dictionary of Words and Phrases,'' 9th edn. London: Sweet & Maxwell, 2016. * David Hay, ed. ''

Words and Phrases Legally Defined ''Words and Phrases Legally Defined'' is a law dictionary. It contains statutory and judicial definitions of words and phrases. It is one of the two "major" dictionaries of its type (the other being Stroud's Judicial Dictionary, Stroud's). Both di ...

,'' 5th edn. 4 vols. London: LexisNexis, 2018.

Ireland

* Brian Hunt. ''Murdoch and Hunt's Dictionary of Irish Law: A Sourcebook,'' 6th edn. Originally by Henry J. P. Murdoch. Haywards Heath, West Sussex: Bloomsbury Professional, 2016.

New Zealand

* Peter Spiller, ed. ''New Zealand Law Dictionary,'' 10th edn. Orig. by G.W. Hinde. Wellington: LexisNexis NZ, 2022.

South Africa

* R. D. Claassen & Cornalis Johannes Claassen. ''Dictionary of Legal Words and Phrases,'' 2nd edn. 4 vols. Durban: Butterworths, 1997 (reprints + updates LexisNexis South Africa). * V.G. Hiemstra & H.L. Gonin. ''Drietalige Regswoordeboek: Engels-Afrikaans, Latyn-Afrikaans-Engels, Afrikaans-Engels,'' 3rd edn. Lansdowne: Juta, 1992. * J. Smuts & I.J. Smuts. ''Woordeboek van Regs- en Handelsterme: Verklarend en Vertalend.'' Cape Town: Nasou Beperk, 1992.

United States

* William S. Anderson, ed. ''Ballentine's Law Dictionary, with Pronunciations,'' 3rd edn. Orig. by James A. Ballentine. Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers Co-operative Pub., 1969. * Gerry W. Beyer, Pamela Anne Dallefeld, & Stephanie A. Williams. ''Modern Dictionary for the Legal Profession,'' 5th edn. Getzville, N.Y.: William S. Hein & Co., 2021. * Bryan A. Garner, ed. ''

Black's Law Dictionary ''Black's Law Dictionary'' is the most frequently used legal dictionary in the United States. Henry Campbell Black (1860–1927) was the author of the first two editions of the dictionary. History The first edition was published in 1891 by Wes ...

,'' 11th edn. St. Paul, Minn.: West Group, 2019. * Daniel Oran & Mark Tosti. ''Oran's Dictionary of the Law,'' 4th edn. Clifton Park, N.Y.: Thomson/Delmar Learning, 2008. * Jonathan S. Lynton. ''Ballentine's Legal Dictionary and Thesaurus.'' Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers Co-operative Pub., 1995. * ''Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law.'' Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 2016. * Robert Sellers Smith & Adele Turgeon Smith. ''West's Tax Law Dictionary.'' 2024 edn. St. Paul, Minn.: Thomson West, 2023. * Stephen Michael Sheppard. '' The Wolters Kluwer Bouvier Law Dictionary.'' Desk edn. 2 vols. NY: Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, 2012. * ''Words and Phrases Judicially Defined.'' Publisher unknown. Pre-1905;. at least five volumes. Cited in at least two

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

opinions..

References

External links

* {{Authority control * Legal research Legal bibliographies