Does there exist a word *anywhere* in a dictionary (printed or otherwise) which is not defined?
@torresjrjr If a word is in a dictionary, is it not already defined by default?
@trinsec I mean absolutely *anywhere* on the same physical paper or electronic medium as the dictionary. In a word's written definition or example sentence, maybe.
@torresjrjr Well, in that case.. names probably don't have a dictionary definition.
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Actually its much mroe simple than that, there are words actually listed as entries in a dictionary that dont have any definition.
dord is a primary example (see attached image).
It was defined in mariam websters from 1934 to 1939 as meaning "density" in physics... However it was an error, dord, in reality, had no definition, it wasnt a word at all. It was a mistake caused by a mixup that was caught and corrected and no longer appeared after the 1939 addition.
So in fact, yes, there have been words as actual entries in dictionaries (not just appearing in the text) which did not, in reality, have a definition.
@freemo But as you said, it was not a word at all. Could you then still speak of a word that has no definition in the dictionary? Since it is by its very nature a non-word? You might as well have some random adjacent letters in a dictionary and say 'hey, this is a word with no definition in a dictionary!'. ;)
I think it depends on what "It is a word" really means... generally we use the phrase "that is not a word" to mean it isnt in the dictionary or it has no meaning.. but I think thats an oversimplification, one that is good enough for us and works and all, but im not sure it is truly accurate to what is or is not a word.
Strictly speaking the definition of a word is as the following: "a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and typically shown with a space on either side when written or printed."
This definition suggests to me that even if a "word" has no definition, has never been used, and is purely an error, it is still a word so long as it can be written or spoken in a sentance.. so as long as it has letters, and sounds and looks like a word it is one.. Now the key that could break that thinking in the definition is the part that says "meaningful"
The other side is, if we consider a word to be a thing that is actually used in every day speech and has been before, or names of things, even new and unique names, all because they have known "meanings" .. then the definition seems self limiting. If a word has no definition it has no meaning, and therefore cant be a word.. within that view point at least.
