Longman Defining Vocabulary

One way to reduce circularity in dictionary definitions is through the use of a controlled vocabulary. In the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (LDOCE), the definitions for over 80,000 words and phrases are written using only the central senses of around 2000 words in the dictionary's core defining vocabulary. This core vocabulary was developed from the General Service List of high-frequency words and their most common meanings (West, Michael. 1953. A General Service List of English Words. London: Longman).

The words appearing in LDOCE definitions are restricted to non-idiomatic uses of only their higher-frequency classes and senses. If a reader understands the 2000 words in the LDOCE's core defining vocabulary, the remaining 78,000 definitions in the LDOCE can be understood without encountering a circular reference.

Read more...