But on the question How many words should a dictionary have it is very difficult to answer.Every dictionary has a different number of words.Dictionary is a book that contains a selected list of words arranged in alphabetical order.No dictionary records all the words of our language.That is why dictionary editors must be selective in the words they decide to include.A general dictionary contains information on everyday words such as it and the.The number of entries in general dictionary depends, on its purpose.Each dictionary is designed to answer the questions of a certain type of reader.The World Book Dictioanry is an example of a dictionary designed for family use.Skeat’s Etymological dictionary is believed to be one of the most widely used.