Can a dictionary be copyrighted?

In the US, when the courts talk about information or data not being copyrightable, they are usually referring to things you collect. For example, you can collect daily rainfall readings, or addresses and phone numbers. read more

A dictionary can certainly be copyrighted. There have been court decisions in many country to support this position. Dictionary is a reference tool and reference tools are not necessarily a public resource. A set of encyclopedia, for example, is a compendium of contributions from various experts. read more

In fact, they are copyrighted from the moment I hit the Submit button, although further action would be needed to enforce the copyright. But it is important to note that while the creative work that appears in an etymological dictionary can be copyrighted, the bare facts cannot. read more