0

Is there a language activator or conceptual dictionary for French? I haven't been able to find a printed or online one.

More specifically, I am looking for a dictionary that gives related words to a particular word. For example, in the Reader's Digest Reverse Dictionary, the entry for "wall" has words such as alcove, niche, grout, etc. These are related words that a thesaurus doesn't give. This type of dictionary would help me a lot in learning vocabulary in a systematic way. Longman (the publisher) calls such a book a Language Activator, but they don't make one for French.

Improve this question
10
  • Apparently it's also called a conceptual dictionary, idealogical dictionary, or dictionnaire idéologique en français.
    – Brandin
    Commented Sep 2, 2022 at 13:05
  • 2
    Lambie is right about the accepted definition of "reverse dictionary". However @Lambie's comment is irrelevant because the Reader's Digest Reverse Dictionary does not fit that definition. What this question is looking for is something similar to the Reader's Digest Reverse Dictionary and the Longman Language Activator (which was geared specifically at learners of English as a foreign language), but for French. Discussions about whether reverse dictionaries (in the accepted sense of the term) are helpful to language learners are irrelevant and should stop.
    – Tsundoku ♦
    Commented Sep 12, 2022 at 16:01
  • 1
    @Lambie Comments about reverse dictionaries were overtaken by events and therefore deleted.
    – Tsundoku ♦
    Commented Sep 12, 2022 at 20:32
  • 1
    @Lambie since the question is not about reverse dictionaries, the definition of that type of dictionary is irrelevant to the question.
    – Tsundoku ♦
    Commented Sep 13, 2022 at 14:03
  • 1
    @Lambie The original question was not about reverse dictionaries in the generally accepted sense of that word, and you know that, because you pointed out what "reverse dictionary" means. The Reader's Digest Reverse Dictionary is not a reverse dictionary and it was clear from the rest of the question that a reverse dictionary is not what the question is looking for.
    – Tsundoku ♦
    Commented Sep 14, 2022 at 8:21

0

Reset to default

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.