This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

How to use dictionaries?

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 22 views
  • Paskiausią atsakymą parašė NoahSUMO

more options

Please help me with this simple (simple, please) How can I use the add-on dictionaries? I'm not looking for a spell checker, I understand there is a difference between a dictionary and a spell checker. Firefox (withon add-ons) shows a French dictionary available (and a confusing language pack ???) I did install the dictionary, but have no clue how to use it (dictionary, not spell checker) OSX 10.6.8 (Firefox 39.0) Thanks for your help ...

Please help me with this simple (simple, please) How can I use the add-on dictionaries? I'm not looking for a spell checker, I understand there is a difference between a dictionary and a spell checker. Firefox (withon add-ons) shows a French dictionary available (and a confusing language pack ???) I did install the dictionary, but have no clue how to use it (dictionary, not spell checker) OSX 10.6.8 (Firefox 39.0) Thanks for your help ...

All Replies (3)

more options

There is not really a difference between a dictionary and the spelling checker. The spelling checker needs a dictionary in order to be able to do its job because without a dictionary it is not possible to know whether a word is spelled wrongly.

You can see which dictionary is selected if you right-click in a text area and open the Languages submenu. At least one dictionary should be installed and have a check mark to indicate that it is selected.

  • Open the "Add Dictionaries" link to install a dictionary if you do not have one.
  • Make sure that [X] "Check Spelling" in the right-click context menu is check-marked.

You can enable or disable spell checking globally:

  • Tools > Options > Advanced : General: Browsing: "Check my spelling as I type"

You can look here for dictionaries:


You can set the layout.spellcheckDefault pref to 2 on the about:config page to enable the spelling checker for both single-line input fields and multi-line text areas.

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I'll be careful" to continue.

more options

hugovargas said

Please help me with this simple (simple, please) How can I use the add-on dictionaries? I'm not looking for a spell checker, I understand there is a difference between a dictionary and a spell checker. Firefox (withon add-ons) shows a French dictionary available (and a confusing language pack ???) I did install the dictionary, but have no clue how to use it (dictionary, not spell checker) OSX 10.6.8 (Firefox 39.0) Thanks for your help ...

Thanks for the answer. Unfortunately there is something else that prevent my french dictionary to work. I understand that I have to select text first, then right click. When I do right click there is no Language sub menu. Thanks anyway

more options

"Dictionaries" in Firefox are only used for the spellchecker. Not for definitions. I know that is confusing.

Since you wanted a translation/definition of a word, try this addon: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/s3google-translator/

For a actual definition of a word, there is also: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/define-word/