How to Cite a Dictionary or Encyclopedia Entry in Harvard

Online reference works change, so most styles want the date you looked the entry up. This page follows Harvard (Cite Them Right), Cite Them Right, 12th edition.

Harvard format for a dictionary or encyclopedia entry

Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Reference list entry

Merriam-Webster (no date) ‘Culture’, Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture (Accessed: 28 September 2026).

In-text citation

(Merriam-Webster, no date)

Style: Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Or enter it yourself:

Check the details

2 required fields are empty: the citation will be incomplete until you fill them in.

Author or publisher
Date published

Leave blank if there is none; the style prints n.d. where the manual says to.

Missing: most styles need this.

Missing: most styles need this.

Editor
Date accessed

Harvard and MLA print it for web sources; APA only for pages that change over time.

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Preview: Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Reference list (0)

Your citations appear here, formatted in Harvard (Cite Them Right). They are saved in this browser only: nothing is sent to us, and no account is needed.

    Where to find the details

    • Many online dictionaries show no date: leave it blank and the style prints n.d.

    Required in most styles: entry word or title, dictionary or encyclopedia.

    Cite a dictionary or encyclopedia entry in another style

    Other sources

    Questions

    What do I need to cite a dictionary or encyclopedia entry in Harvard?

    At minimum: entry word or title, dictionary or encyclopedia. Many online dictionaries show no date: leave it blank and the style prints n.d.

    What does a dictionary or encyclopedia entry look like in Harvard?

    Reference list entry: Merriam-Webster (no date) ‘Culture’, Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture (Accessed: 28 September 2026). In-text citation: (Merriam-Webster, no date)

    Is this free?

    Yes. No account and no limit. Your bibliography is saved in this browser only, and you can export it to Word, BibTeX, RIS or CSL-JSON.

    Citations are formatted by citeproc-js by Frank Bennett (CPAL-1.0, or AGPL-1.0), the engine behind Zotero and Mendeley, running the official Citation Style Language styles (10,863 styles, commit 2e93558) and locales (commit a89adec), used under CC BY-SA 3.0. AGLC4 citations use the LexIntellect AGLC4 engine, checked against the Guide's worked examples. Always check a citation against the manual or your institution's guide before you submit.