Terminology

1. What is Terminology?
2. Where do I get Terminology?
3. What’s new in Terminology?
4. Features
   1. Dictionary - Thesaurus
   2. Extensible with Resources
   3. More Features
5. Documentation
6. Terminology Pro
7. Screenshots
8. FAQ
   1. What are Terminology’s system requirements?
   2. Why isn’t a certain word in the dictionary?
   3. Does Terminology Sync?
   4. I paid to unlock Terminology some time ago. Do I still need Terminology Pro?
   5. Why do I see ads in Terminology?

What is Terminology?

Terminology is a browser for the English language – part dictionary, part thesaurus, and part research tool. Terminology makes it easy to explore words and phrases, diving down to more and less specific terms - accessing web resources and other apps for more detail and sharing.

More than a dictionary, Terminology can be extended with custom resources to search the Internet and other reference apps – making it a great place to satisfy any of your curiosities.

Where do I get Terminology?

Terminology is a free download for iPhone and iPad in the App Store:

• Download Terminology on the App Store

What’s new in Terminology?

Terminology 5 is a complete, ground-up rewrite of Terminology—the most extensive update since its original release in 2010. For specific details of updates and changes, visit the release notes for details about updates.

Features

Dictionary - Thesaurus

• Offline U.S. English dictionary and word reference with simple, straightforward definitions. Based on the latest version of the Open English WordNet.
• Definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and deeper word relations such as more and less specific words, part, part of, members, member of, pertains to, and more
• Favorite and create lists of terms
• Word browsing history
• Add your notes to any term
• Audio pronunciations
• Wildcard (?,*) searching
• Spelling suggestions
• Fast, reliable iCloud (CloudKit) sync and backup of history, favorites, notes, and resources

Read more about the dictionary →

Extensible with Resources

Resources provide quick links to look up and search your terms on websites and in other apps. Ready to use resources for popular reference sites like Wikipedia, ChatGPT, Google, IMDb, and more, or create your own with simple URL templates.

Get more creative with AI resources to drill down on pre-populated prompts.

Read more about Resource configuration →

More Features

• Share extension lets you access Terminology from a text selection in any app
• Control Center integration
• Spotlight and Handoff support
• Great support for Accessibility features like VoiceOver and Dynamic Text.
• Shortcuts support
• Alternate icons, font, and accent color options

Documentation

For more usage details, visit these articles:

• About the Dictionary
• Configuring Resources
• Automation (URL Schemes and Shortcuts)

Terminology Pro

Terminology is always free to use, but you can get more out of Terminology with Terminology Pro:

• Custom resources
• Unlimited term lists
• Unlimited notes
• Custom Home Screen icons

Terminology Pro is available in-app for a low annual price, or as a lifetime unlock.

Screenshots

FAQ

What are Terminology’s system requirements?

Terminology 5 and up requires iOS/iPadOS 18.0 or greater. If you downloaded Terminology before March 2025, you can re-install older versions on devices that do not support iOS 18, but data will not sync with the new version.

Why isn’t a certain word in the dictionary?

Terminology’s offline dictionary is based on the semantic reference WordNet. WordNet only contains the root (lemma) version of words and only has nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. So no plural or conjugated version, no prepositions or articles, etc. If you look up a non-root word, Terminology will attempt to suggest the root form. For more detail, read about the dictionary.

Does Terminology Sync?

Yes! Terminology will sync your favorites, history, notes, and resources across devices via iCloud. This should be enabled by default if iCloud is available, but can be toggled on and off in Settings > iCloud.

I paid to unlock Terminology some time ago. Do I still need Terminology Pro?

Prior to the Terminology 5 update, the app had been free in the App Store for several years – and is still free to use. If you purchased the previous in-app unlock prior to that period, we have unlocked many features that were available in the old version, but the use of new features of Terminology Pro will require an additional purchase. We try to respect past support of the app, but also face the reality that it is not possible to support development of a niche app like Terminology without on-going support, so we hope if the app provides you value you are will to support it.

Why do I see ads in Terminology?

Terminology itself does not have ads, even in the free version. If you are using resources, however, those may load content from the web and contain advertising, just as if you loaded those sites in a web browser.