Research Guides: English and American Poetry Resources: Dictionaries

Quick Links

List of Library Databases

Find Journals & Magazines
Search for a specific journal, magazine, or newspaper, in print or online at the SCU Library.
Merriam-Webster Unabridged
The largest and most comprehensive dictionary of the English language as it is currently used today.
The famous unabridged is the latest in the long line of dictionaries directly descended from Noah Websters original English-language dictionary of 1828. It is updated on a continuing basis.
Ask a Librarian
A team of librarians available to help you with library resources and search for information, every day at any time. The chat is interactive and always with a live person.

Get Help 24/7

Dictionaries

DICTIONARIES

DICTIONARIES OF LITERARY TERMS

The following reference books are very helpful in explaining the many specialized terms that are used by scholars when they talk about poetry.

Columbia Granger's World of Poetry
An excellent source for starting research on poems and their authors, this online database contains a handy glossary of terms used when studying poetry. Click on the "Glossary" tab to start your search. The definitions often include links to poems contained in the database as examples of the terms being defined.

This database also provides critical commentaries on well-known poems, biographies of leading poets, and a Listening Room featuring notable contemporary poets reading aloud a selection of poems by many authors.

The following reference works are very helpful when doing literary research. They provide succinct yet thorough definitions and explanatory articles about the terms used by scholars when they talk about all aspects of literature, including poetry.