How to Cite Merriam-Webster Dictionary in Chicago 17 Format

Merriam-Webster is among the most frequently cited dictionaries in academic writing, yet its citation format in Chicago 17th Edition differs from standard book citations in several important ways. As a well-known reference work, Merriam-Webster follows Chicago's rules for commonly used reference sources — meaning it is typically cited only in footnotes or endnotes, not in the bibliography. Understanding when and how to break from this convention is essential for accurate formatting.

Because Merriam-Webster exists in both print and online editions, and because the online version is continuously updated without fixed publication dates, writers must pay careful attention to which version they consulted and format accordingly. This guide covers both scenarios with realistic examples based on Chicago's general dictionary citation rules.

Key abbreviation: "s.v." stands for the Latin sub verbo ("under the word"). It replaces a page number and directs the reader to the specific entry you consulted.

Where to Find Citation Information on Merriam-Webster

Locating the right details for your citation depends on whether you used the online or print version of Merriam-Webster.

Online (merriam-webster.com)

• Entry word: Displayed as the bold heading at the top of each dictionary page. Use the base form exactly as it appears (e.g., "pragmatic," not "pragmatism" if you looked up a different entry).
• URL: Copy directly from your browser's address bar. Merriam-Webster uses clean, predictable URLs in the format https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/word.
• Access date: Record the date you viewed the page. Because online dictionary entries are updated without notice, the access date is required.
• Publication date: If the entry displays a publication or revision date, record it. Do not use a word's "First Known Use" date as the entry's publication date. If no publication or revision date appears, use an access date.

Print Edition

• Full title: Check the title page. The most common academic edition is Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Do not shorten to just "Merriam-Webster" for print citations.
• Edition number: Found on the title page (e.g., "Eleventh Edition"). Use "11th ed." in your citation.
• Publication information: Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, plus the copyright year from the verso (back of the title page).
• Entry word: Cite exactly as it appears in bold at the start of the entry, including any diacritical marks.

Detailed Examples

Example 1: Online Entry — Standard Word

You look up the word "algorithm" on Merriam-Webster's website on January 15, 2026.

First Footnote:

1. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "algorithm," accessed January 15, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/algorithm.

Shortened Footnote:

2. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "algorithm."

Bibliography:

Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Accessed January 15, 2026. https://www.merriam-webster.com/.

Note: Italicize the dictionary title in both online and print citations. If you name Merriam-Webster as the organization responsible for the dictionary, leave that organization name unitalicized. The bibliography example cites the dictionary as a whole.

Example 2: Online Entry — Compound or Hyphenated Term

You cite the entry for "cost-effective" on March 8, 2026.

First Footnote:

3. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "cost-effective," accessed March 8, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cost-effective.

Shortened Footnote:

4. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "cost-effective."

Bibliography:

Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://www.merriam-webster.com/.

Note: Keep the hyphen as it appears in the dictionary entry. In notes, keep the headword as printed. The bibliography example cites the dictionary as a whole and omits the headword.

Example 3: Print Edition — Collegiate Dictionary

You cite the word "epistemology" from the 11th edition of the print Collegiate Dictionary.

First Footnote:

5. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 2003), s.v. "epistemology."

Shortened Footnote:

6. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, s.v. "epistemology."

Bibliography:

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 2003.

Note: Print editions use the full title in italics. The entry word follows "s.v." rather than appearing as a separate title element. No page number is needed — "s.v." serves this purpose.

Example 4: Medical Dictionary (Specialized Merriam-Webster)

You reference "comorbidity" from Merriam-Webster's online Medical Dictionary.

First Footnote:

7. Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, s.v. "comorbidity," accessed February 20, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/comorbidity.

Shortened Footnote:

8. Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, s.v. "comorbidity."

Note: When citing a specialized Merriam-Webster dictionary (Medical, Legal, etc.), clarify which dictionary you used. Note the different URL path (/medical/ instead of /dictionary/).

Step-by-Step Instructions

Citing the Online Edition

1. Start with the dictionary title. Write Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary followed by a comma. Italicize the title; an organization name used as author remains unitalicized.
2. Add the sub verbo abbreviation. Write "s.v." followed by a space. This is always lowercase and always followed by a period after each letter.
3. Insert the entry word in quotation marks. Use the exact headword as it appears on the page. Place a comma inside the closing quotation mark.
4. Include the access date. Write "accessed" (lowercase) followed by the full date in Month Day, Year format (e.g., January 15, 2026). Follow with a comma.
5. Provide the full URL. Copy the URL directly from your browser. Include "https://" at the beginning. End the footnote with a period after the URL.

Citing the Print Edition

1. Start with the full title in italics. Write the complete title as it appears on the title page (e.g., Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary). Follow with a comma.
2. Add the edition number. Write the edition as an ordinal abbreviation followed by "ed." (e.g., "11th ed."). No comma is needed before the parenthetical publication information.
3. Include publication details in parentheses. Write the city, state abbreviation, colon, publisher, comma, and year: (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 2003). Follow the closing parenthesis with a comma.
4. Add "s.v." and the entry word. Write s.v. followed by the headword in quotation marks, with a period at the end.

Common Mistakes When Citing Merriam-Webster

1. Including Merriam-Webster in the Bibliography Unnecessarily

Wrong approach: Automatically adding every Merriam-Webster citation to your bibliography.

Chicago rule: Well-known reference works like Merriam-Webster are typically cited only in notes, not in the bibliography. Include a bibliography entry only if the dictionary is central to your argument — for example, in a linguistics paper analyzing how definitions have changed over time.

2. Inventing a Publication Date for the Online Edition

Wrong: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "paradigm," 2025, accessed January 10, 2026, https://...

Right: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "paradigm," accessed January 10, 2026, https://...

The online edition is continuously updated. Do not invent a publication date. If the entry shows no publication or revision date, use an access date.

3. Using an Incomplete Dictionary Title

Wrong: Merriam-Webster Dictionary, s.v. "rhetoric," accessed...

Right: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "rhetoric," accessed...

Use the dictionary title in italics for either format. For the print edition, use the full title from the title page (e.g., Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary). A publisher or organization name is not the same as the dictionary title.

4. Omitting "s.v." or Replacing It with a Page Number

Wrong: Merriam-Webster, "algorithm," accessed...

Wrong: Merriam-Webster, p. 24, accessed...

Right: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "algorithm," accessed...

Use "s.v." to direct readers to a single headword in an entry citation. Use "s.vv." for multiple headwords. Omit the abbreviation when citing the dictionary as a whole, as in the bibliography examples.

5. Forgetting the Access Date for Online Entries

Wrong: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "paradigm," https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paradigm.

Right: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "paradigm," accessed June 3, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paradigm.

Because online entries change without notice, the access date tells readers which version of the definition you referenced.

6. Confusing the Organization Name with the Dictionary Title

Wrong: Merriam-Webster, s.v. "word," accessed...

Right: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "word," accessed...

Italicize dictionary titles in both online and print citations. Leave the organization name Merriam-Webster unitalicized when it serves as author or publisher.

Special Considerations for Merriam-Webster

Multiple Definitions Within One Entry

If you are citing a specific numbered definition (e.g., definition 2a of "culture"), Chicago does not require you to specify the sub-definition in the citation itself. However, you should clarify in your text which sense of the word you are using. For example:

In its sociological sense (definition 5b), "culture" refers to...

9. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "culture," accessed February 14, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture.

Citing Multiple Entries in the Same Footnote

When referencing several Merriam-Webster entries in one note, separate them with semicolons:

10. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. "effect," accessed March 1, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effect; s.v. "affect," accessed March 1, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affect.

Thesaurus Entries

Merriam-Webster also hosts a thesaurus at merriam-webster.com. If citing a thesaurus entry rather than a dictionary definition, clarify this:

11. Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, s.v. "innovative," accessed April 5, 2026, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innovative.

Word of the Day or Usage Notes

Merriam-Webster publishes editorial content like "Word of the Day" and grammar articles. These are not dictionary entries and should be cited as web pages, not with the s.v. format. See the Chicago 17th Edition guide for general website citation formats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to include Merriam-Webster in my bibliography?

Usually, no. Chicago 17th Edition states that well-known reference works such as major dictionaries and encyclopedias are typically cited in notes only, not in the bibliography (see the manual's rules for reference works). The exception is when the dictionary plays a central role in your analysis — for instance, if your paper examines how Merriam-Webster defines a contested term, or if you cite many entries across your work. When in doubt, check with your instructor or editor.

Should I cite the online or print version?

Cite whichever version you actually consulted. If you looked up a word on merriam-webster.com, cite the online edition with an access date and URL. If you used the physical book, cite the print edition with the edition number and publication details. Do not cite the print edition when you used the website, even if both contain the same definition — they are treated as different sources in Chicago style.

How do I handle a word that has changed its spelling or entry format?

Cite the headword exactly as it appeared when you accessed it. If the spelling has since changed (e.g., a hyphenated word becoming one word), your access date documents which version you saw. This is one reason the access date is required for online editions. If you are comparing old and new spellings, cite both entries with their respective access dates.

Can I use "n.d." (no date) instead of an access date for online entries?

For the notes shown here, give an access date when the online entry has no publication or revision date. "N.d." does not replace the access date for an undated, changing reference entry. Record and include the date you viewed it.

Notes vs. Bibliography: Summary Table

Online vs. Print: Quick Comparison

For broader formatting guidance, see our complete Chicago 17th Edition citation guide or the general dictionary citation guide for Chicago style.