Legal Dictionaries / Words & Phrases
Legal dictionaries and Words and Phrases can help you research the meaning of legal terms and the legal interpretation of legal words and phrases. This can help when you’re trying to interpret a statute for which there is no clear case law or if you’re trying to discern the meaning of a word in a key legal document, such as a contract or a will.
Legal Dictionaries
Legal dictionaries define common legal words and terms. The entries are alphabetical and may include references to case law.
- Barron's Canadian Law Dictionary
- Available via Lexis+ (law students only), the campus-wide version of Quicklaw (available to all students), and in print on the reference desk and in the reference section (available to all students)
- Dictionary of Canadian Law
- Available in print on the reference desk (available to all students)
- Black's Law Dictionary (American)
- Available via Westlaw Edge (law students only; click the International tab) and in print on the reference desk (available to all students)
Words & Phrases
Words and phrases sources provide the meanings of words as defined by the courts. They also provide references to statutes or case law where words or phrases are defined. These definitions can have legal authority because they have been defined in the courts.
- Words & Phrases Judicially Defined in Canadian Courts and Tribunals (Canadian Abridgment)
- Available via Westlaw Edge (law students only and in print in the reference section (available to all students)
- Canadian Legal Words & Phrases
- Available via Lexis+ (law students only) and the campus-wide version of Quicklaw (available to all students)
- Sanagan’s Encyclopedia of Words and Phrases
- Available in print on the reference desk (available to all students)