How many words are there in the English dictionary?

There isn't one definitive answer to how many words are in the English dictionary. It depends on which dictionary you're looking at and how you define "word." Here's why:

* Different dictionaries have different word counts: The Merriam-Webster dictionary lists about 470,000 words, while the Oxford English Dictionary has over 600,000. This variation arises from different inclusion criteria (like proper nouns, technical terms, etc.).

* Definitions of "word" vary: Some dictionaries include archaic words, slang, and proper nouns, while others focus on commonly used words.

* New words are constantly being added: The English language is dynamic, with new words appearing all the time.

So, while it's impossible to provide an exact number, you can safely say that the English language has hundreds of thousands of words, with new ones appearing regularly.