The native Dictionary feature in iOS lets you download mono‑ and bilingual dictionaries for 70+ languages and access them anywhere via Look Up or Spotlight. Once installed they work offline, offering definitions, translations, and synonyms with no ads or extra cost.
Category: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Dutch
Free and built‑in
Offline after download
System‑wide Look Up and Spotlight access
No ads or tracking
Quick language switching
Apple shipped the Dictionary in 2011 as a core iOS service so words can be defined or translated without leaving the current app. It surfaces via the ‘Look Up’ pop‑up and Spotlight search, making on‑device reference instant and distraction‑free.
All learners who want to read content on iPhone or iPad and need fast single‑word lookups while immersing.
Go to Settings → General → Dictionary, tap the desired titles, wait for the quick download, and the dictionaries are ready to use offline.
Highlight a word anywhere, choose ‘Look Up,’ then swipe through the available dictionaries for definitions or translations. You can also pull down to open Spotlight, type the word, and tap the Dictionary result.
Reorder dictionaries in Settings to prioritize results and download both translation and monolingual sets for richer context. Pair with Apple Translate for longer phrases.
No way to import custom dictionaries or export flashcards, and coverage varies—some languages lack examples or depth.