# Etymonline English Dictionary — user reviews > 249 indexed App Store user reviews of Etymonline English Dictionary by 崇伟 柳, rated 4.90/5 from 10,783 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymonline-english-dictionary/id813629612/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymonline-english-dictionary/id813629612.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 10,227 · 4★ 423 · 3★ 59 · 2★ 21 · 1★ 53 ## What do users think of Etymonline English Dictionary? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🚀 Excellent app - 👍 Comprehensive and well-researched - 👍 Useful for understanding word origins - 👍 Informative and insightful - 👍 Straightforward and easy to use - 👍 Helpful for language learners - 👍 Authoritative and reliable - 👍 Indispensable resource **Cons** - 🐛 App version has incomplete entries - 🔒 Privacy concerns with data collection - 💰 Subscription fees too high **Commonly reported bugs** - Bottom of related words list cut off - Search bar not always visible - App version not compatible with dark mode **Most requested features** - Dark mode option - Offline access to full entries - One-time purchase option instead of subscription ## Newest reviews (19 of 249) ### 5/5 — just great!! *2026-07-17, version 2.9.398* The only app you need ### 5/5 — Amazing *2026-07-06, version 2.9.398* A wonderful resource for philologists ### 5/5 — Easy to navigate *2026-06-23, version 2.9.398* Simple design, easy to navigate and fun to navigate the relativity between words ### 5/5 — Favorite app *2026-06-19, version 2.9.398* Enough said ### 5/5 — DB *2026-06-18, version 2.9.398* Very informative and helpful. ### 5/5 — Etymonline helps words sing! *2026-06-09, version 2.9.398* So easily being able to trace the roots of words feels like ancient secrets are being whispered to me. Words are truly alive and they sing their truth through their origins. ### 5/5 — A must have for language lovers *2026-05-30, version 2.9.398* A fantastic, curated, human-written repository of word origins that help me better understand what’s being said and increase my vocabulary. ### 5/5 — This app is so Inclusive *2026-04-26, version 2.9.398* I Appeeciate this App Heavily ### 5/5 — I’ve Never Had More Fun *2026-04-21, version 2.9.398* Than when I’m able to trace a root at a moment’s notice. Most wholesome, generative, inspiring & playful app! Everyone deserves a pocket etymological dictionary this robust & useful! Great UI 10/10; 5 ⭐️ ### 5/5 — best *2026-04-21, version 2.9.398* best app buy it ### 5/5 — Etymonline (English) *2026-04-19, version 2.9.398* Understanding the true nature of a word involves tracing the meaning and context far beyond what its modern usage may imply. This is usually not a matter of severe importance for most (which is perfectly fine), but for a few, it is absolutely essential that it is observed! Yes, one may understand and use only the most common meaning alone, however, full comprehension comes from knowing the container of information and historical context from which the language emerges. This app provides a useful reference tool as a service, to guide one’s own knowledge of what words mean today, as well as the way they were once used. Thank you so much for creating this for us! ### 5/5 — Rediscovery of Meaning *2026-04-17, version 2.9.398* In a world that has lost the substance & truth of meaning & history, including with words, ETYMONLINE provides a map by which we can rediscover substance & truth. ### 5/5 — Wonderful website *2026-04-13, version 2.9.398* Apparently the almost the whole thing was compiled by one man?! Crazy! Anyway I know the team has expanded a bit now so I wish them all the best, great app and thank you so much for the info! ### 5/5 — favorite app ever *2026-03-30, version 2.9.398* favorite app ever i love you etymonline you changed my life ### 5/5 — Essential *2026-03-11, version 2.9.398* Dock this app ### 5/5 — Make the Lion logo the app icon!! *2026-03-10, version 2.9.398* I love etymonline and use it all the time. It answers all my questions. But PLEASE update the app icon. All caps black letter is impossible to read. The book symbol doesn’t match the branding. You already have an epic logo of a winged lion. Just use that!! It’s hard to find this app in a sea of book related icons ### 4/5 — Great and… *2026-03-08, version 2.9.398* Great just not a huge fan of a subscription to remove the ads. A one time payment would be cool. Thank you for adding dark mode. ### 5/5 — Handy! *2026-03-07, version 2.9.398* Easy to use, esp like tracing word origin way back ### 4/5 — For the love of wisdom *2026-03-06, version 2.9.398* I'd give it five if didn't foster a bit of hate for the English language. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Inappropriate ads *2026-03-05, version 2.9.398* The ads on your app are sexualized garbage. ### 1/5 — No app support and locked w/o passwd *2026-01-18, version 2.9.398* App support button just returns u to the site. Seems u must sign in to use. What a pain. ### 1/5 — Why Does a Dictionary Track Me? *2025-02-25, version 2.9.398* Pros: etymology 
Cons: Tracks your precise location, tracks your identity, sells your personal data to brokers… It’s a dictionary ### 1/5 — Tracking *2024-08-18, version 2.9.395* Why does this app need to track me? ### 1/5 — Nothing loads *2021-03-20, version 2.2.1* Search and nothing appears ### 1/5 — App Keeps Forgetting I Paid to Remove Ads *2020-08-02, version 2.2.0* I literally went to bed with the app open last night, and unlocked the device to find the ads were back again. I shouldn't have to keep hunting down the "Restore Purchases" feature every few days while the developer double dips on my annual subscription fees plus ad revenue. Edit: The app keeps nagging me to rate it 5 stars even though I’ve already rated it AND paid for it, and the ads are back yet again! If we can’t trust this developer to honor our purchases, how can we trust this app at all? What information is it collecting and selling to the ad networks? ### 1/5 — Edifying *2019-11-21, version 1.9.3* Simultaneously succinct and expansive... The most precise online referencing and historical language tool.. Thank you. Based my initial praise on the efficacy of free online search. I anticipated App would be superior. The app is poor and difficult to use. Paid fir full version. I n fact it seems I may have paid for fool version. More information is more readily accessible for free... Disappointing. ### 2/5 — Weak *2025-10-29, version 2.9.398* Weak Etymology; more of a dictionary. ### 2/5 — Inaccurate *2024-06-03, version 2.9.395* Why does the website have detail in the letter S and prefixes like ser but here it is no s and no ser just se specific things i always read about until i find something and it just has all of those things not here maybe the app is incomplete the website is much better ### 2/5 — Dictionary is good, privacy policy not *2020-05-29, version 2.1.0* While I like the dictionary (although it is not transparent regarding its resources), the privacy policy is not good. Why do you collect personal data, store and sell even if I purchase the paid version? This is violating EU laws btw. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Love of words. *2026-08-25, version 2.9.398* Deep diving into a word opens my mind and stimulates my thinking. It’s great for meditation ### 5/5 — Love it. Miss the articles *2026-08-13, version 2.9.398* I hope to read articles on the app again! ### 5/5 — Buy this *2026-08-12, version 2.9.398* I used this to conquer science .. and then .. the WORLD ### 5/5 — Why Do We Say… *2026-08-08, version 2.9.398* If You’ve ever wondered how mondegreens and spoonerisms crept into the English language, You need this app. Amaze and/or annoy Your friends with the arcane knowledge of why we say the things we do and how. ### 5/5 — Addicting and Necessary *2026-07-31, version 2.9.398* Probably my most used app. ### 5/5 — Fun app for learning *2026-07-31, version 2.9.398* This is quickly becoming one of my most used apps. It's so much fun to look up different words. Love that it's free ### 5/5 — Always there when I need it! *2026-07-30, version 2.9.398* Absolutely recommend if you’d like to improve your understanding of the words you hear everyday!! ### 5/5 — An essential app for learning *2026-07-30, version 2.9.398* This is one of my most used apps, especially when I’m needing to deepen my understanding of a word or a concept. It’s been absolutely vital for me. ### 5/5 — Well crafted *2026-07-27, version 2.9.398* This application to me, is almost like carrying a book of spells ✨ ### 5/5 — Now lesson here you adventurous scamp. *2026-07-24, version 2.9.398* Is good. Works well for me. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-08.*