Cambridge University Press API: Define word
Looks up a word or phrase on Cambridge Dictionary and returns its ordered meanings, example sentences, grammar labels and UK and US pronunciations.
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Inputs
Values from the run on Oct 23, 2026, shown under Output.
- Word, required
word Word or phrase to define, for example "take over".
take over
- Dictionary optional
dictionary Choose British or American dictionary entries, for example "american".
british
One of
british,american. Defaultbritish.
Input as JSON
{ "word": "take over", "dictionary": "british"}Output
{ "headword": "take (something) over", "meanings": [ { "examples": [ "He took over from the previous headmaster in February.", "She took over as manager two weeks ago.", "Jason Lamb has taken over responsibility for this project." ], "definition": "to start doing a job or being responsible for something that another person did or had responsibility for before:", "guide_word": "START DOING", "english_level": "B2", "grammar_labels": [], "part_of_speech": "phrasal verb" }, { "examples": [ "The company he works for has recently been taken over." ], "definition": "to get control of a company by buying enough of the shares in it:", "guide_word": "GET CONTROL", "english_level": null, "grammar_labels": [], "part_of_speech": "phrasal verb" }, { "examples": [ "It's only a matter of time before they take over completely." ], "definition": "to become more successful or powerful than something or someone else that is involved in the same type of activity:", "guide_word": "BECOME MORE POWERFUL", "english_level": "C2", "grammar_labels": [], "part_of_speech": "phrasal verb" } ], "page_link": "https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/take-over" , "uk_pronunciation": { "ipa": "teɪk", "audio_link": "https://dictionary.cambridge.org/media/english/uk_pron/u/ukt/uktaj/uktajik002.mp3" }, "us_pronunciation": { "ipa": "teɪk", "audio_link": "https://dictionary.cambridge.org/media/english/us_pron/t/tak/take_/take.mp3" }}Code
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"method":"dictionary.cambridge.org/define_word","input":{"word":"take over","dictionary":"british"}}' # Save as fous.py, then run: python3 fous.pyimport json, os, timefrom urllib.error import HTTPErrorfrom urllib.request import Request, urlopenAPI = "https://api.fous.com/v1/runs" KEY = os.environ["FOUS_API_KEY"]HEADERS = { "Authorization": f"Bearer {KEY}", "Content-Type": "application/json" ,}def call(url, body=None): data = json.dumps(body).encode() if body else None request = Request(url, data, HEADERS) try: with urlopen(request, timeout=120) as r: return r.status, json.load(r) except HTTPError as error: message = json.load(error)["error"]["message"] raise RuntimeError(message) from errorstatus, run = call(API, { "method": "dictionary.cambridge.org/define_word" , "input": { "word": "take over", "dictionary": "british" }})# 202: still going after 30 s. Ask again until it ends.while status == 202: time.sleep(2) status, run = call(f"{API}/{run['id']}")print(json.dumps(run["data"], indent=2))// Save as fous.mjs, then run: node fous.mjsconst api = "https://api.fous.com/v1/runs" ;const headers = { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.FOUS_API_KEY}`, "Content-Type": "application/json" ,};let response = await fetch(api, { method: "POST", headers, body: JSON.stringify({ "method": "dictionary.cambridge.org/define_word" , "input": { "word": "take over", "dictionary": "british" } }), signal: AbortSignal.timeout(120_000),});let run = await response.json();// 202: still going after 30 s. Ask again until it ends.while (response.status === 202) { await new Promise((done) => setTimeout(done, 2_000)); response = await fetch(`${api}/${run.id}`, { headers }); run = await response.json();}if (!response.ok) throw new Error(run.error.message);console.log(run.data);# Connect your agent to Fous once, over MCP (Streamable HTTP):# https://api.fous.com/mcp# Set FOUS_API_KEY first: create a key at https://app.fous.com/keys.# Claude Codeclaude mcp add \ --scope user \ --transport http fous https://api.fous.com/mcp \ --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"# Codexcodex mcp add fous \ --url https://api.fous.com/mcp \ --bearer-token-env-var FOUS_API_KEY# Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Cline and morenpx -y add-mcp https://api.fous.com/mcp -g -n fous \ --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"# Then ask your agent:# "Use Fous to run dictionary.cambridge.org/define_word# with {"word":"take over","dictionary":"british"}"Over HTTP, the answer’s data holds the output. A run still going after 30 seconds answers 202 with its id: ask GET /v1/runs/{id} until it ends.
Schema
Input schema
{ "type": "object", "required": [ "word" ], "properties": { "word": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1, "description": "Word or phrase to define, for example \"take over\"." }, "dictionary": { "enum": [ "british", "american" ], "type": "string", "default": "british", "description": "Choose British or American dictionary entries, for example \"american\"." } }, "additionalProperties": false}Output schema
{ "type": "object", "required": [ "headword", "meanings", "uk_pronunciation", "us_pronunciation", "page_link" ], "properties": { "headword": { "type": "string" }, "meanings": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "object", "required": [ "part_of_speech", "guide_word", "definition", "english_level", "grammar_labels", "examples" ], "properties": { "examples": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" }, "maxItems": 3 }, "definition": { "type": "string" }, "guide_word": { "type": [ "string", "null" ] }, "english_level": { "type": [ "string", "null" ] }, "grammar_labels": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "part_of_speech": { "type": [ "string", "null" ] } }, "additionalProperties": false } }, "page_link": { "type": "string" }, "uk_pronunciation": { "type": "object", "required": [ "ipa", "audio_link" ], "properties": { "ipa": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Phonetic spelling in IPA, if shown." }, "audio_link": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Link to the MP3 pronunciation, if shown." } }, "additionalProperties": false }, "us_pronunciation": { "type": "object", "required": [ "ipa", "audio_link" ], "properties": { "ipa": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Phonetic spelling in IPA, if shown." }, "audio_link": { "type": [ "string", "null" ], "description": "Link to the MP3 pronunciation, if shown." } }, "additionalProperties": false } }, "additionalProperties": false}- Price
- 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free.
- Method
dictionary.cambridge.org/define_word- Returns
- headword, meanings with examples and levels, UK and US pronunciation, page link
Use it from your agent
Give your agent this line. It reads SKILL.md, gets a Fous API key and connects the Fous MCP server. Its run then takes the method dictionary.cambridge.org/define_word with the inputs above.
Ask your agent
- What does the word 'serendipity' mean and how is it pronounced in British and American English?
- Give me the meanings and example sentences for 'take over' from the British dictionary.
- I need the American English pronunciation and grammar labels for 'ubiquitous' on cambridge.org.
- Look up the phrase 'break the ice' and show its meanings ordered by frequency, with the B1 or C1 level for each sense.
- Find the definition of 'resilient' in the American dictionary and give me a link to the page.
Translates a word between English and a language Cambridge supports. Returns the meanings, the translations and any paired examples.
dictionary.cambridge.org/translate_wordLooks up an English word on Dictionary.com and returns its pronunciation, audio link, numbered definitions per dialect with examples, word origin and first recorded use.
dictionary.com/define_wordLooks up a word or phrase in Merriam-Webster's dictionary and returns its pronunciation, definitions, examples and word history.
merriam-webster.com/define_wordGets a word's Thesaurus.com meanings in site order, with part of speech, short meaning, synonyms and antonyms ranked strongest, strong or weak.
dictionary.com/get_synonymsLooks up a word on its public Merriam-Webster thesaurus page and returns each meaning with its example, synonyms, antonyms and related words.
merriam-webster.com/get_synonymsGets Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for today or a past archive date, with its meaning, example, pronunciation and background note. Dates without a published entry are unavailable.
merriam-webster.com/get_word_of_the_dayTranslates a word or phrase between languages using WordReference, including usage notes, example sentences and compound forms when shown. Only language pairs listed by WordReference are available.
wordreference.com/translate_wordExplains a finance, business, or investing term using its Investopedia dictionary article.
investopedia.com/define_term