DICTIONARIES
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus
Quick and basic reference site for definitions and synonyms.
One Look Dictionary
By using One Look, you can search several dictionaries, including specialty dictionaries, at once.
Specialty Dictionary
Links to specialized subject dictionaries, some of which include dialects, professions, and finance.
Wordnik
With its goal to provide as much information as possible, Wordnik offers much more than definitions, including definitions, synonyms, antonyms, example sentences, related words, images, audio pronunciations, etymology, and more.
ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Encyclopedia of Life
“The Encyclopedia will be an online reference and database on all 1.9 million species currently known to science and will stay current by capturing information on newly discovered and formally described species. The Encyclopedia of Life will help all of us better understand life on our planet.”
Encyclopedia of Chicago
Online version of the print encyclopedia that combines text, images, audio, multimedia, essays, and interactive maps to “stimulate readers to think differently about Chicago – by walking new paths through history.”
Information Please
InfoPlease is the source to go to with factual questions. With its encyclopedia, almanac, dictionary, and more, InfoPlease can help answer your basic questions.
Wolfram Alpha
“Wolfram Alpha introduces a fundamentally new way to get knowledge and answers—not by searching the web, but by doing dynamic computations based on a vast collection of built-in data, algorithms, and methods.” It is useful for finding technical or scientific information.
GOVERNMENT
USA.Gov
“As the U.S. government's official web portal, USA.gov makes it easy for the public to get U.S. government information and services on the web.”
CIA World Fact Book
The Central Intelligence Agency’s World Fact Book provides up-to-date information about countries and regions around the world, including history, people, geography, and economics, to help form a complete portrait of each country.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
The source to learn about hundreds of different kinds of jobs with information about training and education, earnings, expectations of workers, and more.