December 18, 2009

On Google's Unofficial Dictionary API

Google Dictionary has an undocumented API that's used in Google Docs. You can obtain a JSON output using a URL like:

http://www.google.com/dictionary/json?callback=dict_api.callbacks.id100&q=test&sl=en&tl=en&restrict=pr%2Cde&client=te

(replace test with your favorite keyword).

A developer built a Chrome extension that used Google Dictionary API to display the definitions of a word without opening a new page.


A few days after releasing the extension, Google asked the developer to stop using the API.

"Until recently, this extension was known as Google Dictionary Lookup and used as its data source the Google Dictionary. Unfortunately, due to Google's contracts with their data providers, they are not legally allowed to expose the Dictionary API to third parties, and as such, I was forced to switch providers. (...) In the spirit of FOSS, I'm leaving the source code of the previous version available at my site until Dec 25, but you are solely responsible for its use, and I urge you not to abuse the Google Dictionary API," explains Max.

If you'd like to see an official API for Google Dictionary, star this issue.
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15 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 22, 2009 at 11:06 PM

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    ReplyDelete
  2. Metro ShoesFebruary 13, 2010 at 1:48 PM

    nice one....but i am waiting 4 google 2 release api for dictionary.

    ReplyDelete
  3. job ballardMarch 16, 2010 at 12:46 AM

    I too want to see an official API for dictionary!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMay 3, 2010 at 8:51 AM

    http://dictionary.reference.com/api/

    ReplyDelete
  5. RobOctober 6, 2010 at 8:23 PM

    Very cool. I've been wanting to find a dictionary api to toy around with in a program.

    ReplyDelete
  6. MelOctober 12, 2010 at 12:39 PM

    i am searching for a google API that cab return the categories, for example if i search dog it should return all the categories dog belongs to for example : animal, mammal etc.

    can anyone help with this?

    ReplyDelete
  7. MatthewDecember 17, 2010 at 7:15 AM

    Weird, for most of Googles api's they ask for a key. Guess they haven't got to it on this one yet lol.

    Matt
    my error site

    ReplyDelete
  8. behnishJuly 26, 2011 at 11:49 PM

    How you decode your json array. I used json_decode and it is not working

    ReplyDelete
  9. vonboSeptember 12, 2011 at 9:09 AM

    see this: http://www.gdicts.com , just by using this unofficial api

    ReplyDelete
  10. BenDecember 20, 2011 at 9:59 AM

    I only just found out about google dictionary api and got pretty excited until I read to the bottom of the article. Would love to see an official api, until then there are quite a lot of other options.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousDecember 22, 2011 at 12:51 AM

    Comment should not be empty

    ReplyDelete
  12. YmaBytsMarch 13, 2012 at 11:29 AM

    an official version would be welcomed. and by the way the google dictionary is not working anymore.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownApril 28, 2012 at 10:44 AM

      try to find for wordnik which provides api for the dictionary.

      Delete
  13. UnknownNovember 2, 2012 at 11:06 PM

    Wodlink is much better than this for now:

    http://developer.wordnik.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. UnknownMay 21, 2016 at 5:09 AM

    Very nice post
    Thanks a lot
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