How to Instantly Define Any On-Screen Word in Chrome

You’re bound to come across words you don’t recognize while browsing the Web, and while you can always use Google as a dictionary, it’s not always the most convenient option. There’s a better way.

Installing the Google Dictionary Chrome Extension lets you double-click on any word to instantly see its definition in a pop-up. You’ll see the most common definition in the bubble, along with a pronunciation icon and a More link, which brings you to a Google search for the definition of that word.

If you frequently read complex papers or are in the process of learning English, this extension will prove invaluable.

The extension includes a few options, too. Click the three-bar menu in Chrome’s top-right corner, then choose More Tools > Extensions and find the Options link under the extension’s name. The default is to display the pop-up when you double-click a word, but you can also add in Ctrl, Alt, or Shift keys for more control.

Another option lets you see definitions just by highlighting words, but this might prove annoying if you’re someone who reads by highlighting, so be sure to add a Ctrl, Alt, or Shift modifier to avoid triggering it constantly.

if you google "dictionary" the first result is a definition of the word "dictionary". Faith in humanity lost… pic.twitter.com/QkzQ4Frmmg

— Michael Kalakay (@sirkalakay) November 4, 2015

Firefox doesn’t have an official Google Dictionary extension, but the Dictionary.com Add-on serves the same purpose.

Will you add this dictionary to your browser? What words have you looked up so far? Let us know how you use this in the comments!

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