Wirtz Labor Law Library Print This Page Print This Page  Decrease Text Size Increase Text Size Text Size  Email This Page E-mail This Page

Legal Dictionaries

The practice of law requires the precise use of words. While general unabridged dictionaries define legal words of art, they do not do so with the precision of a legal dictionary.

In the Witrz Labor Library we have:

  • Black's Law Dictionary on the Dictionary Stand in the Law Library
  • Words and Phrases in the Law Reference section

Both of these sources differ from general dictionaries by:

  • Citing authority
  • Paraphrasing the actual language of the courts

You can also find legal dictionaries on the Internet:

  • Findlaw <http://dictionary.lp.findlaw.com/>

  • Law.com <http://dictionary.law.com/>

  • LawyerIntl.com <http://lawyerintl.com/modules/dictionary/>

  • Wex <http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/Main_Page> Collaboratively-created, public-access law dictionary and encyclopedia provided by Cornell University's LII.

  • Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page>

  • Yahoo <http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/Law/Legal_Research/Dictionaries/>

DOL employees: On WESTLAW, use the database BLACKS, which contains the entire contents of Black's Law Dictionary (8th Edition, 2004). On LEXIS try Ballentine's Law Dictionary, 3rd Edition (LEXREF; BTINES) or Legal Dictionaries, Combined (LEXREF/LGLDIC).

Note: Lexis no longer updates the online version of Ballentine's Law Dictionary, 3rd Edition.