Advanced English Dictionary is a dictionary app for Windows Phone, based on the WordNet 3.0 database. It has more than 200,000 entries, with definitions, example sentences, and audio samples available for each word in the dictionary. Key app features include list based and inline search, a clear layout, locally stored data files, and a fast and snappy interface.

The app was recently updated to version 2.5, adding pronunciation notation. Previously, Advanced English Dictionary was only available as a paid for app, but with the latest update a free, ad-supported, version was made available.

The app opens with a search box,with matching words appearing as you type. Recently viewed words can be seen by swiping from right to left. Tapping on a word brings up a page, with all the details for that word.

The data for the dictionary is drawn from WordNet 3.0, a lexical database for English, put together by a team at Princeton University. As a result of this, and somewhat unusually for a dictionary, hypernym, hyponym, and synonym information is also included. This can be accessed by swiping from right-to-left on a word entry. Hypernymy describes the semantic relationship of a word with other words (e.g. scarlet, vermilion, and crimson are all hyponyms of red, which itself is a hyponym of colour; colour is the hypernym of red, and red is the hypernym of scarlet, vermilion, and crimson). Synonyms are words with identical or similar meanings (e.g. walk, stroll, and perambulate).

There are a lot of dictionaries, available in the Windows Phone Marketplace, many of which are relatively expensive, primarily due to licensing requirements. The use of the BSD licensed WordNet data means there's no such cost associated with Advanced English Dictionary.

However, WordNet was not directly intended to be a dictionary. Indeed it's actually main aim is to provide a semantic lingustic database, as demonstrated by the hypernymy data. Consequently Advanced English Dictionary does not have all the same features or comprehensiveness as some of the more expensive commercial offerings (e.g. etymology of words). That said, the WordNet data is still of high quality, and for many users will be perfectly sufficient.

The existing, paid-for version, of the app is terrific value at £0.79 / $0.99 / €0.99. The ad-free option means that now even more people will be able to enjoy what is one of the best dictionary apps available for Windows Phone.

Marketplace description:

Advanced English Dictionary comes with the following attractive features: dictionary stored in phone, pronunciation (sound and notation), fast and snappy, clean layout, and inline search.

Based on WordNet 3.0, containing more than 200,000 entries, with clear and precise definition and sample sentences available.

Advanced English Dictionary Free can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Marketplace for free.