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Comparison · Online encyclopedias and wikis

Wikipedia vs Wiktionary: which is better in 2026?

WikipediavsWiktionary

Wikipedia ranks higher in our list of online encyclopedias and wikis (#1 against #4, score 93.0 against 83.5).

Choose Wikipedia if you want

General reference with citations in many languages.

The broadest free encyclopedia here, edited by volunteers in many languages, with sources and a revision history for each article. Quality varies with sourcing, so the citations are worth checking.

Choose Wiktionary if you want

Word meanings, etymologies and translations.

A free dictionary with etymologies and translations across many languages, written by volunteers. It covers words rather than topics, so it does not replace an encyclopedia.

Side by side

WikipediaWiktionary
Score93.083.5
Rank in list#1 of 7#4 of 7
PriceFreeFree to read and reuse under CC BY-SA 4.0FreeFree to read; entries are edited by volunteers
Free to useYesYes
Open sourceNoNo
PlatformsWebWebWebWeb
Made byWikimedia FoundationWikimedia Foundation
ScopeGeneral encyclopedia, many languagesWords and translations
Who writes itVolunteers, open editingVolunteers, open editing
Reuse termsCC BY-SA 4.0CC BY-SA 4.0 and GFDL
Best forGeneral reference with citations in many languagesWord meanings, etymologies and translations
Strengths
  • Free, with a large set of cited articles
  • Text reusable under CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Linked to Wikidata for structured data
  • Free dictionary entries with etymologies
  • Covers words in many languages
  • Written and edited by volunteers
Limits
  • Article quality varies with its sourcing
  • Pages can change at any time because editing is open
  • Entry quality varies by language edition
LinksVisit site Visit site

Questions about Wikipedia vs Wiktionary

Is Wikipedia better than Wiktionary?
Wikipedia ranks higher in our list of online encyclopedias and wikis (#1 against #4, score 93.0 against 83.5). Wikipedia is best for: general reference with citations in many languages. Wiktionary is best for: word meanings, etymologies and translations.
Which is cheaper, Wikipedia or Wiktionary?
Wikipedia: Free to read and reuse under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wiktionary: Free to read; entries are edited by volunteers.
Do Wikipedia and Wiktionary run on the same platforms?
Wikipedia supports Web. Wiktionary supports Web.