Overview
Think of this endpoint as looking at the cover and introduction of a book before deciding whether to read the entire thing. When you need to understand what a dictionary contains and when it was created or last modified, but don’t need to see all its terms and definitions, this endpoint provides exactly that focused information. This summary approach serves a fundamentally different purpose than retrieving full dictionary details. While the full details endpoint gives you everything including all terms and definitions, this summary endpoint focuses exclusively on the dictionary’s identifying characteristics and metadata. This distinction becomes important when you’re building applications that need to display dictionary information efficiently or when you’re working with multiple dictionaries and need to present them in lists or selection interfaces.Understanding Dictionary Metadata
Every dictionary in the system carries essential information about itself, separate from the actual terms and definitions it contains. This metadata tells the story of the dictionary: what it’s called, what it’s intended for, when it was created, and when someone last made changes to it. Understanding this information helps you and your users make informed decisions about which dictionaries to work with and whether the content might be current for your needs. The metadata approach also supports better application architecture. Instead of loading potentially thousands of dictionary terms just to show a user what dictionaries are available, you can quickly retrieve just the summary information for multiple dictionaries, creating responsive user interfaces that load quickly and provide clear choices.Authorizations
The x-api-key is a custom header required for authenticating requests to our API. Include this header in your request with the appropriate API key value to securely access our endpoints. You can find your API key(s) in the 'API' section of our studio website.
Path Parameters
This parameter tells the API exactly which dictionary you're interested in. Each dictionary in the system has a unique numerical ID that serves as its primary identifier.
Response
Successful Response
The Dictionary's Unique Identifier. This integer value serves as the dictionary's permanent address in the system. Once assigned, this ID never changes - It's how the system definitively identifies this particular collection of terms.
The Dictionary's Display Name. This string contains the human-readable name that identifies the dictionary to users. Unlike the ID, which is purely functional, the name is designed to be meaningful to people who are choosing which dictionary to work with.
Detailed Dictionary Information. This optional field can contain a longer explanation of what the dictionary covers, its intended audience, or special characteristics that set it apart from other dictionaries. The description might explain the scope of terms included, the expertise level assumed, or specific domains covered.
Dictionary Creation Timestamp. This date-time value tells you exactly when someone first created this dictionary in the system. Understanding creation dates helps you gauge how established a dictionary is and can be useful for administrative purposes, auditing, or simply satisfying curiosity about a dictionary's history. The timestamp includes both date and time information, giving you precise historical context.
Last Modification Timestamp. Perhaps one of the most practically useful pieces of metadata, this timestamp shows when someone last made changes to the dictionary. This could mean adding new terms, modifying existing definitions, updating the dictionary's name or description, or any other modification. For applications where content freshness matters, this timestamp helps you and your users understand how current the dictionary's information might be.