# Wiktionary API

> Wiktionary returns word definitions, pronunciations, origins, forms, and translations as a workflow and API.

Wiktionary’s Define word method explains a supplied word in English, with examples, pronunciations, origins, and forms; language is optional. For English words, Define word can return translations into up to 30 languages, depending on what Wiktionary records.

- Page: https://fous.com/workflows/wiktionary
- Handle: `@wiktionary`
- Category: [Education](https://fous.com/workflows/category/education)
- Source website: https://wiktionary.org
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026
- Fous is not affiliated with Wiktionary.

## Methods

### Define word

Operation `define_word`, version 1. 1 credit per call.

Explain a Wiktionary word in English with meanings, examples, IPA pronunciations, origin, forms and, for English words, translations into up to 30 languages. Details depend on what Wiktionary records.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `word` | string | yes | `"Haus"` | Word to define, for example "schadenfreude". |
| `language` | string | no | `"German"` | Language of the word, for example "German". Defaults to English. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "word"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "word": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Word to define, for example \"schadenfreude\".",
      "examples": [
        "Haus",
        "Schadenfreude",
        "dog"
      ]
    },
    "language": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "English",
      "description": "Language of the word, for example \"German\". Defaults to English.",
      "examples": [
        "German"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "word": "Haus",
      "language": "German"
    },
    {
      "word": "Schadenfreude"
    },
    {
      "word": "dog"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `word` | string | `"Haus"` |  |
| `entries` | array |  |  |
| `entries[].definitions` | array |  |  |
| `entries[].part_of_speech` | string | `"Noun"` |  |
| `entries[].inflected_forms` | array |  |  |
| `language` | string | `"German"` |  |
| `page_url` | string | `"https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Haus"` |  |
| `etymology` | string or null | `"From Middle High German hūs, from Old High German hūs, from Proto-West Germanic *hūs, from Proto-Germanic *hūsą. Cognat` |  |
| `translations` | array |  |  |
| `translations[].words` | array |  |  |
| `translations[].language` | string | `"French"` |  |
| `pronunciations` | array |  |  |
| `pronunciations[].ipa` | string | `"[haʊ̯s]"` |  |
| `pronunciations[].accent` | string or null | `"standard"` |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "word": "Haus",
  "language": "German"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "word": "Haus",
  "entries": [
    {
      "definitions": [
        {
          "definition": "house, building",
          "example_sentences": [
            "In dem Haus haben wir mal gewohnt. — We used to live in that house.",
            "Mein Großvater starb in dem Haus, wo ich geboren wurde. — My grandfather died in the house where I was born."
          ]
        },
        {
          "definition": "home ( in various phrases )",
          "example_sentences": [
            "Dann gingen wir nach Hause — Then we went home."
          ]
        },
        {
          "definition": "theatre",
          "example_sentences": []
        }
      ],
      "part_of_speech": "Noun",
      "inflected_forms": [
        "Haus n ( strong, genitive Hauses, plural Häuser, diminutive Häuschen n or Häuslein n or Häuselein n or Häusle n or Häusel n or Häus'l n or Häusl n or Häusli n or Häuslin n or ( rare ) Häuselin n or Hä…"
      ]
    },
    {
      "definitions": [
        {
          "definition": "a municipality of Styria, Austria",
          "example_sentences": []
        }
      ],
      "part_of_speech": "Proper noun",
      "inflected_forms": [
        "Haus n ( proper noun, genitive Haus' or ( with an article ) Haus )"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "language": "German",
  "page_url": "https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Haus",
  "etymology": "From Middle High German hūs, from Old High German hūs, from Proto-West Germanic *hūs, from Proto-Germanic *hūsą. Cognate with Old Frisian hūs, Low German Hus, Huus, Dutch huis, Icelandic hús, Faroese …",
  "translations": [],
  "pronunciations": [
    {
      "ipa": "[haʊ̯s]",
      "accent": null
    }
  ]
}
```

## Quick start

Call the API with a Fous API key (`FOUS_API_KEY`). To create one, turn on Developer mode in Fous Studio, then open Keys & connections → API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys).

```bash
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
: "${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example}"

curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 120 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@wiktionary",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "define_word",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "word": "Haus",
    "language": "German"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
import json
import os
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = os.environ.get("FOUS_API_KEY")
if not api_key:
    raise RuntimeError("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example")

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@wiktionary\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"define_word\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"word\": \"Haus\",\n    \"language\": \"German\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=120) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
// First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
const apiKey = process.env.FOUS_API_KEY;
if (!apiKey) throw new Error("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example");

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(120_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@wiktionary",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "define_word",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "word": "Haus",
    "language": "German"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

Or describe the data in plain language: send `{"api":"@wiktionary","prompt":"Describe the data you need, with every detail"}` to the same URL. Fous fills in the input, runs the method that fits and returns only the fields you asked for; `data.route.calls[].request` is the exact call it made. Routing is free; the run costs the same.

## Use cases

- Check meanings and examples for unfamiliar words
- Compare recorded pronunciations and accents
- Explore a word’s origin and inflected forms
- Find English word translations for localization research

## FAQ

### Is Fous affiliated with Wiktionary?

No. Fous is not affiliated with Wiktionary. This workflow reads the public wiktionary.org website and returns its data.

### How much does it cost?

Each run costs 1 credit. With pay-as-you-go, a credit costs 1¢; monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a Wiktionary account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from wiktionary.org when you run it; repeating the same request within a day may return the saved result. Fous checks this workflow automatically; it last passed a check on Sep 29, 2026.

### What does a word mean?

Define word returns meanings and examples for a supplied word and optional language.

### How is a word pronounced?

Define word can return recorded IPA pronunciations and accents.

### What translations are available for an English word?

Define word can return translations into up to 30 languages for English words, depending on what Wiktionary records.

## Related

- [Dictionary.com API](https://fous.com/workflows/dictionary-com.md): Dictionary.com provides definitions, pronunciations, audio, examples, and word origins, plus ranked synonyms and antonyms for public Thesaurus.com entries; some word details may be unavailable.
- [Merriam-Webster API](https://fous.com/workflows/merriam-webster.md): Merriam-Webster provides definitions, pronunciations, examples, word histories, synonyms, antonyms, and related words for publicly listed entries, plus Word of the Day entries for today or published archive dates.
- [Cambridge Dictionary API](https://fous.com/workflows/cambridge-dictionary.md): Cambridge Dictionary provides English definitions, examples, grammar labels, and available UK and US pronunciations, plus translations and paired examples for supported languages, reflecting details shown on its pages.
- [WordReference API](https://fous.com/workflows/wordreference.md): Dictionary translations and language reference.
- [Etymonline API](https://fous.com/workflows/etymonline.md): Origins and histories of English words from the Online Etymology Dictionary.
- [Urban Dictionary API](https://fous.com/workflows/urban-dictionary.md): Urban Dictionary provides crowdsourced slang definitions and examples, plus up to 30 newest Words of the Day with featured dates.
- [Wikipedia API](https://fous.com/workflows/wikipedia.md): Wikipedia returns article summaries, images, facts, relevant search matches, readable text and daily historical events, plus human-view counts from July 2015 onward.
- [Investopedia API](https://fous.com/workflows/investopedia.md): Financial education, investing explanations, and a finance dictionary.
- [All Education workflows](https://fous.com/workflows/category/education)