Game submitted by Shelfer: Leah Narkevic
If you still have a dictionary in your house, you are in luck.
Despite the thousands of words it comes with, your phone will likely still take the throne when looking for a definition.
But do not fear, there is no need to throw it away.
You can use it as a paper weight, a nice looking piece for your coffee table, or for its desired use…Games!
You heard me correctly. A simple dictionary can be a great resource for your next game night, vacation stay, or camp game!
The Dictionary Game is one for everyone! Learn to play quickly right here or read below for the in depth breakdown!
Who Can Play?
Ages for playing the Dictionary Game can range. But I think for best results it is best to play with high school age or above.
The reason for needing to be on the older side, is you need the players to be able to creatively think about how to define a word.
With that being said, the game calls for 5–10 players. From experience, I have found that the game is best played with 5–6 players, but 10 players can easily have a great time as well!
I also think you can play this game internationally. For instance if you speak Spanish and have a Spanish dictionary, the game can easily be played with the same rules!
Goal of the Game:
Be the 1st player to get to 21 points!
To start, a player will use a dictionary to select a difficult word, and write the correct definition. They will spell the word out loud so each player hears it, and place the correct definition in the bowl.
All of the other players must then write what they think the definition of the word is and place it in the bowl.
Players collect points if they write the correct definition, select the correct definition, or another player selects the definition they wrote.
The first player to collect 21 points wins!
Materials:
1 Dictionary
1 Bowl
Paper
Writing Utensils
Setup: The first step is to use the paper and cut them into small slips, (Just big enough you can write a sentence on it)
You can place those slips of paper into the middle of the table next to the bowl
Then you are going to give each player their own sheet of paper
Have a player be the 1st reader (For example: Oldest player)
Directions:
Have the Reader select a random word out of the dictionary that they do not know.
Then you will have the Reader say the word out loud and spell it, so each player can hear it
Before playing the round, all players must agree that they do not know what the word is
Once agreed, the Reader will write the correct definition on a blank slip of paper and place it in the bowl
At the same time, the other players will write down what they think the definition of the word is on a blank slip of paper, and place it in the bowl
Once all players have placed their definitions in the bowl, the Reader will read the definitions written on the paper slips out loud one by one.
While the definitions are being read, each player will write on their individual sheet of paper which definition they think is correct (ie. definition, 1, 2, 3 etc.)
Once all of the definitions have been read, the points will be distributed to each player (see “Rules” below for how you can earn points)
After the round is over and everyone has their points added up, have a new player become the Reader (For example: Second oldest player)
The 1st player to get to 21 points wins the game
Rules:
1. Players must be honest that they do not know the word being selected for the round
2. Players get 1 point if their definition is selected by another player
3. Players get 1 point if they pick the correct definition
4. Players get 3 points if they write the correct definition
Play On:
I have played this game time and time again, with college friends and with my extended family. The Dictionary Game is truly a great family game. But maybe even more so, a fun game for a college get-together. It creates timeless laughs with hilarious definitions, and continual incorrect guesses.
It is important while playing this game to not take it so seriously. It’s a game!
While we have it labeled under our Wisdom Games the game is really just a test on how well you spot out lying!
Hotels, AirBnBs, and numerous other places have access to Dictionaries. So maybe hop off the phone next time you are with friends and families and grab the archaic version of looking up definitions.
I promise you won’t regret it.
Have you ever made a game? If so share it below in the comments or on our site!
About LowerShelf Games LowerShelf Games is a free game sharing website that provides a one stop shop for family/party game lovers. The site is a showcase for the numerous games that exist in this world. It provides a single platform for people to not only share games with common items they would find around their house, but also standardized instructions on how to play them.
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