Help the world work, play, and communicate

Here at Oxford Dictionaries, we power a huge range of technologies, apps, and digital services. Our world-renowned dictionary data powers search engines, provides definitions in e-readers, and makes predictive text and language-learning software possible. We use cutting-edge technology to integrate and optimize our rich language data, and work with partners across the globe to create some of the most flexible and reliable platforms and processes in the world.

Our data is open. What can you do with it?

We love language, and we want the world to communicate more easily. That’s why we’re continually working to open our data to allow developers to create apps, digital tools, and programmes we haven’t even begun to think about that will allow the world to communicate across languages, for both work and fun.

View all documentation for the Oxford Dictionaries API.

The competition

Use one or more of the languages in the Oxford Dictionaries API to create a game, chatbot, web service, language-learning resource, or communication tool.

Our languages include:

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Hindi
  • Urdu
  • IsiZulu
  • Malay
  • Latvian
  • Indonesian
  • Setswana
  • Northern Sotho
  • Romanian
  • Swahili

It doesn’t matter if your app is an existing application that has recently integrated Oxford Dictionaries data or a brand new app; already published in an app store or never-before publicised. You can enter as an individual or as a team. We want to see what you can create!

View the full terms and conditions or enter here.

The prizes

First place: Free PRO access to the Oxford Dictionaries API for eight months, plus an Oxford Dictionaries collector's mug. Your app will be showcased on the Oxford Dictionaries API portal and we will work with you to help develop your app with our data.

Runners up: free PRO access to the Oxford Dictionaries API for one month and a collector's mug for:

  • Best game
  • Best language-learning app
  • Best communications tool
  • Best original idea

All entrants will receive an Oxford Dictionaries API T-shirt on submission of their app.

The judges

Manfred Bortenschlager

Director of API Market Development at 3Scale, Manfred leads business development for API management and educates markets about the value of APIs. His activities include establishing and managing strategic partnerships, writing and presenting API thought leadership content, and API strategy consulting.

Sandro Cirulli

Sandro is the Lead Language Technologist in the Dictionaries department at Oxford University Press, where he is in charge of system administration and DevOps.

Kin Lane

Kin is the @APIEvangelist, paying attention to the technology, business, and politics of APIs. He spends his days researching the world of APIs, and publishes his findings at API Evangelist.

Vivian Marr

Vivian is Editorial Content Director for the current dictionaries programme. Her team is responsible for the creation, acquisition, and development of lexical and non-lexical content in multiple languages for exploitation across all of Dictionaries publishing and licensing activities.

Phil Reimann

Product Manager for Oxford Dictionaries licensing, Phil makes sure that our language data continues to fulfil all the innovative and interesting ways that people are using it. He can normally be found talking far too enthusiastically about APIs and collecting conference stickers.

Dan Stewart

Head of Marketing for Oxford Dictionaries, Dan is responsible for understanding customer needs, advocating a customer-focused approach, and raising awareness about what we do. As a marketer, he's interested in how people around the world can interact with and help develop Oxford Dictionaries content.

How to enter