Word Break

Ideally, a dictionary captures the evolution of usage: regionalisms and slang, words pulled from other languages, neologisms born of necessity or flung from the wheels of rapid change. It also serves as a humble resource for looking up spellings and new terms. And how else are we to settle disputes during Scrabble games?

For wordsmiths, a dictionary is indispensable. As a copy editor for more years than I care to count, I thumb through the Canadian Oxford Dictionary daily. Indeed, I’ve worn out three hardcover copies since its release over twenty years ago. But the COD isn’t just my go-to resource. Anyone in this country who works in magazines, books, newspapers, or academia most likely has it on their desk. (Gage and Collins, if present, collect dust.) However, many professionals, myself included, lament the absence of an up-to-date COD, and we fantasize about an app that would put it at our fingertips.

As the story goes, Noah...