mate-dictionary

Print a specific word definition

$ mate-dictionary --no-window --look-up '[word]'

$ mate-dictionary --match '[word]'

mate-dictionary [OPTIONS...] [WORD]

--help, -h
    Displays standard help options for the command.

--help-all
    Shows all available help options, including GTK+, MATE, and Bonobo activation options.

--help-gtk
    Displays GTK+ toolkit-specific options.

--help-mate
    Shows MATE-specific options.

--help-bonobo-activation
    Displays Bonobo activation options.

--lookup=WORD
    Initiates a dictionary lookup for the specified WORD immediately upon launch.

--server=SERVER
    Specifies the address or hostname of the DICT server to connect to.

--port=PORT
    Sets the port number for the DICT server connection.

--database=DATABASE
    Specifies a particular dictionary database to search within on the server (e.g., "gcide", "wordnet").

--uri=URI
    Looks up a word using a dictionary URI, typically in the format dict:///word.

--no-window
    Prevents the main application window from appearing. Primarily useful for specific integration scenarios as mate-dictionary is a GUI application.

--quiet
    Suppresses non-fatal error messages.

--version
    Prints the version information of the mate-dictionary application and exits.

The mate-dictionary command launches the graphical dictionary application for the MATE Desktop Environment. It provides a user-friendly interface to look up definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and more for words and phrases. The application supports various dictionary sources, including local dictionary files and remote DICT servers, allowing users to access a wide range of linguistic resources. It integrates seamlessly within the MATE ecosystem, offering quick lookups and comprehensive information, making it an indispensable tool for writers, students, and anyone needing quick word definitions or linguistic insights. Its intuitive design simplifies the process of exploring language and expanding vocabulary.

• mate-dictionary is primarily a graphical user interface (GUI) application. While it offers command-line options for specific actions like lookups, its main functionality is accessed through its window.
• It requires a DICT server (either local or remote) to provide definitions. Without configured servers or local dictionaries, its functionality will be limited.
• Being part of the MATE Desktop Environment, it may have dependencies specific to MATE, which could be relevant if running in a non-MATE environment.

While mate-dictionary can be launched from the terminal, its primary mode of operation is through its graphical window. Users can type words into the search bar, browse through definitions, switch between available dictionary sources, and manage their server connections and preferences within the application's interface.

The application allows users to configure and manage multiple DICT servers. This can include public online servers or private local servers. Configuration options typically include server address, port, and selection of specific databases to search, providing flexibility in accessing diverse linguistic resources.

mate-dictionary originated as gnome-dictionary within the GNOME 2 desktop environment. When the MATE Desktop Environment was forked from GNOME 2 to preserve its traditional user interface, gnome-dictionary was also forked and rebranded as mate-dictionary. It continues to be actively maintained as a core component of the MATE project, providing a stable and feature-rich dictionary application consistent with the MATE desktop philosophy.

dict(1), look(1), grep(1)