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How to Footnote a Dictionary in MLA

In the latest copy of "The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary," you will find a two-inch by 28-inch column of fine print presenting the varied uses and meanings of the word "hand," including the curious French idiom "hand of glory," meaning a charm made from the hand of an executed prisoner. Words can be prodigious in their import and effect. When a specific interpretation of a word's sense or use is important to your discussion, footnote your dictionary source properly using Modern Language Association (MLA) style.

Instructions

    • 1

      Place a superscript Arabic numeral after the closing period of the sentence in which the word or its meaning is first cited.

    • 2

      Add a matching numeral at the bottom of the same page.

    • 3

      Write the word you are citing followed by a period and surrounded by quotation marks after the numeral. For example, 7. "Hand."

    • 4

      Place the abbreviation "Def" followed by a period then the number of the specific definition you are using, also followed by a period. For example, 7. "Hand." Def. III.12a.

    • 5

      Give the title of the dictionary you are using. For example, 7. "Hand." Def. III.12a. The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.

    • 6

      Place the edition number, if available, followed by a period, then the year of publication, also followed by a period. For example, 7. "Hand." Def. III.12a. The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. 3rd. ed. 1993.

    • 7

      Place the word "Print" at the end, followed by a period. For example, 7. "Hand." Def. III.12a. The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. 3rd. ed. 1993. Print.

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