Open data
The dictionary is open. All 500 words of it.
The word list behind Steno Start Pro is published openly. Each word has a single-stroke outline, a source record and a licence that lets you use, adapt and share it. No login, no email wall, no proprietary lock-in.
Download
Four files. No email form.
Grab one file or take the lot. Each download is served straight from the public repository, so you can check the history and the build behind it.
dictionary.json
500 words, one outline each. The flat word-to-stroke map.
JSONmulti_stroke.json
Eight optional two-stroke expansions for longer words.
JSONmanifest.json
Counts, source list, command and hashes for this build.
JSONentries.json
One provenance record per word: outline, sources and changes.
JSONWhat is in the set
The set covers the 500 beginner words used by Steno Start Pro. It includes 99 briefs and 401 rule-derived outlines. Eight words also have an optional two-stroke form. Every word was authored or generated for Steno Start; no GPL or commercial steno dictionary is included.
How it was built
Pronunciation comes from CMUdict. Theory, layout and brief patterns come from openly licensed steno references: Wikipedia's Stenotype article, selected Plover Wiki pages and the archived Art of Chording. The Steno Start rules and 500-word list are our own. The manifest records exactly which files were used, their licences, their hashes and the build command. The provenance file records the sources behind every entry.
What the compatibility figure means
The 500-word set matches 394 of 500 (78.8%) outlines exactly against a full external Plover dictionary used only as a black-box reference. That is a measure of agreement with one reference, not a claim that the dictionary is Plover, endorsed by Plover, or complete enough for professional work. It is a beginner teaching set.
How to use it
Download a file and inspect it, import dictionary.json into Steno Start Pro, or load it into your own tooling. The JSON is a flat map of word to outline, the common Plover dictionary shape. Multi-stroke entries use a slash between strokes. If you build something with it, keep the attribution and share your adaptation under the same licence.
The whole set
Browse every word.
Search by spelling or outline. The table shows the single-stroke form; eight words also have an optional two-stroke expansion below.
Showing all 500 words
| Word | Outline |
|---|---|
| a | AEU |
| about | PW |
| above | PW*UF |
| across | KROS |
| act | ABGT |
| add | AD |
| after | AF |
| again | TKPWEPB |
| age | AEUPBLG |
| ago | TKPWOE |
| air | AEUR |
| all | AUL |
| almost | AUFPLT |
| along | HRAUPBG |
| already | HRAED |
| also | HRS |
| always | AULS |
| am | APL |
| an | APB |
| and | SKP |
| animal | APBL |
| answer | ARPBS |
| any | TPHEU |
| are | R |
| around | ARPBD |
| ask | ABGS |
| at | AT |
| away | WAEU |
| baby | PWAEUB |
| back | PWABG |
| bad | PWAD |
| bag | PWAG |
| ball | PWAUL |
| bat | PWAT |
| be | -B |
| beach | PWAOEFP |
| bear | PWAER |
| beat | PWAOET |
| become | KPWUPL |
| bed | PWED |
| bee | PWAOE |
| before | TPWOR |
| behind | PWHAOEUPBD |
| believe | PWHRAO*EF |
| below | PWHROE |
| best | PWEFT |
| between | TPWAOEPB |
| big | PWEUG |
| bike | PWAOEUBG |
| bill | PWEUL |
| bird | PWEURD |
| bit | PWEUT |
| black | PWHRABG |
| blood | PWHRUD |
| blue | PWHRAOU |
| boat | PWOET |
| book | PWAOBG |
| both | PWO*ET |
| box | PWOBGS |
| boy | PWOEU |
| break | PWRAEUBG |
| bring | PWREUPBG |
| brown | PWROUPB |
| build | PWEULD |
| business | PWEUPBSZ |
| busy | PWEUZ |
| but | PWUT |
| buy | PWAOEU |
| cake | KAEUBG |
| call | KAUL |
| calm | KAUPL |
| came | KAEUPL |
| can | K |
| car | KAR |
| care | KER |
| carry | KAER |
| case | KAEUS |
| cat | KAT |
| catch | KAFP |
| cause | KAUZ |
| center | SERPBT |
| certain | S*ERPBT |
| chair | KHAER |
| chance | KHAPBS |
| check | KHEBG |
| child | KHAOEULD |
| choose | KHAOZ |
| church | KHUFRP |
| circle | SEURBG |
| city | STEUS |
| class | KHRAS |
| clean | KHRAOEPB |
| clear | KHREUR |
| clock | KHROBG |
| close | KHROEZ |
| cloud | KHROUD |
| coal | KOEL |
| coat | KOET |
| coffee | KOEF |
| coin | KOEUPB |
| cold | KOELD |
| color | KURL |
| come | KOPL |
| company | KUFRPB |
| cook | KAOBG |
| cool | KAOL |
| copy | KOEP |
| corn | KORPB |
| corner | KO*RPB |
| cost | KOFT |
| could | KO |
| count | KOUPBT |
| country | KEURPBT |
| course | KORS |
| cover | K*UFR |
| cow | KOU |
| cross | KRO*S |
| crowd | KROUD |
| cry | KRAOEU |
| cup | KUP |
| cut | KUT |
| dark | TKARBG |
| daughter | TKAURT |
| day | TKAEU |
| dead | TKAED |
| dear | TKEUR |
| death | TKA*ET |
| did | TKEUD |
| direct | TKREBGT |
| dirty | TKEURT |
| do | TKO |
| does | TKUZ |
| dog | TKOG |
| done | TKUPB |
| door | TKAOR |
| double | TKUBL |
| doubt | TKOUT |
| down | TKOUPB |
| draw | TKRAU |
| dress | TKRES |
| drink | TKR*EUPBG |
| drive | TKRAO*EUF |
| drop | TKROP |
| duck | TKUBG |
| during | TKURPBG |
| each | AOEFP |
| ear | AOER |
| early | EURL |
| earth | *EURT |
| east | AOEFT |
| easy | AOEZ |
| eat | AOET |
| edge | EPBLG |
| effect | TPEBGT |
| egg | EG |
| eight | AEUT |
| either | AO*ERT |
| else | ELS |
| end | EPBD |
| enough | TPHUF |
| even | AOEPB |
| ever | *EFR |
| every | EFR |
| example | STKPWA*FRPL |
| eye | AOEU |
| fact | TPABGT |
| fall | TPAUL |
| family | TPAEPL |
| far | TPAR |
| fast | TPAFT |
| father | TPA*RT |
| feel | TPAOEL |
| few | TPAOU |
| fill | TPEUL |
| find | TPAOEUPBD |
| first | TPEURS |
| fish | TPEURB |
| fit | TPEUT |
| five | TPAO*EUF |
| follow | TPOL |
| food | TPAOD |
| foot | TPAOT |
| for | TPOR |
| force | TPORS |
| form | TPORPL |
| four | TPAOR |
| fox | TPOBGS |
| free | TPRAOE |
| friend | TPREPBD |
| frog | TPROG |
| from | TPR |
| full | TPUL |
| fun | TPUPB |
| get | TKPWET |
| girl | TKPWEURL |
| give | TKPWEUF |
| go | TKPWO |
| god | TKPWOD |
| gold | TKPWOELD |
| good | TKPWAOD |
| got | TKPWOT |
| gray | TKPWRAEU |
| green | TKPWRAOEPB |
| guess | TKPWES |
| had | HAD |
| hair | HAER |
| half | HAF |
| hand | HAPBD |
| happen | HAPB |
| happy | HAEP |
| hard | HARD |
| has | HAZ |
| hat | HAT |
| hate | HAEUT |
| have | SR |
| he | HE |
| head | HAED |
| hear | HAO*ER |
| heart | HART |
| heat | HAOET |
| heavy | HA*EF |
| help | HEPL |
| hen | HEPB |
| her | HER |
| here | HAOER |
| high | HAOEU |
| hill | HEUL |
| him | HEUPL |
| himself | SPHEFL |
| his | HEUS |
| hit | HEUT |
| hold | HOELD |
| hole | HOEL |
| home | HOEPL |
| hope | HOEP |
| horse | HORS |
| hot | HOT |
| hour | HOUR |
| house | HOUS |
| how | HOU |
| hundred | HURPBD |
| hunt | HUPBT |
| hurt | HURT |
| I | EU |
| idea | TKAOE |
| if | TP |
| important | PHORPBT |
| in | TPH |
| include | TKPHRAOUD |
| into | TPHAO |
| is | EUZ |
| it | T |
| its | EUTS |
| just | SKWRUFT |
| keep | KAOEP |
| key | KAOE |
| kid | KEUD |
| kill | KEUL |
| kind | KAOEUPBD |
| king | KEUPBG |
| kitchen | KEUFPB |
| know | TPHOE |
| land | HRAPBD |
| last | HRAFT |
| late | HRAEUT |
| laugh | HRAF |
| law | HRAU |
| lay | HRAEU |
| lead | HRAOED |
| learn | HREURPB |
| leave | HRAO*EF |
| left | HREFT |
| leg | HREG |
| less | HRES |
| let | HRET |
| letter | HRERT |
| lie | HRAOEU |
| life | HRAOEUF |
| like | HRAOEUBG |
| list | HREUFT |
| little | HREUL |
| live | HR*EUF |
| local | HROELG |
| long | HROPBG |
| look | HRAOBG |
| lose | HRAOUZ |
| lot | HROT |
| loud | HROUD |
| love | HR*UF |
| low | HROE |
| lunch | HRUFRPBLG |
| machine | SPHAOEPB |
| make | PHAEUBG |
| man | PHAPB |
| many | PHAEPB |
| map | PHAP |
| mark | PHARBG |
| mat | PHAT |
| match | PHAFP |
| may | PHAEU |
| maybe | PHAEUB |
| mean | PHAOEPB |
| meat | PHAO*ET |
| meet | PHAOET |
| member | PHERPBL |
| men | PHEPB |
| milk | PHEULG |
| minute | PHEUPBT |
| miss | PHEUS |
| money | PHEUPB |
| moon | PHAOPB |
| more | PHOR |
| morning | PHORPBG |
| most | PHOFT |
| mother | PH*URT |
| mountain | PHOUPBT |
| mouse | PHOUS |
| mouth | PHO*UT |
| move | PHAO*UF |
| much | PHUFP |
| music | PHAOUBGZ |
| must | PHUFT |
| my | PHEU |
| need | TPHAOED |
| never | TPH*EFR |
| new | TPHU |
| news | TPHAOUZ |
| next | TPHEBGTS |
| night | TPHAOEUT |
| nine | TPHAOEUPB |
| no | TPHO |
| nor | TPHOR |
| not | TPHOT |
| nothing | TPH*UPBGT |
| now | TPHOU |
| ocean | OEGS |
| of | -F |
| off | OF |
| offer | OFR |
| office | OFS |
| oil | OEUL |
| old | OELD |
| on | OPB |
| once | WUPBS |
| one | WUPB |
| only | OEPBL |
| open | OEP |
| or | OR |
| orange | ORPBG |
| order | ORD |
| other | OER |
| our | OUR |
| out | OUT |
| outside | STAOEUD |
| over | OEFR |
| owl | OUL |
| own | OEPB |
| paper | PAEUP |
| parent | PERPBT |
| park | PARBG |
| part | PART |
| party | PAERT |
| pass | PAS |
| past | PAFT |
| pay | PAEU |
| pen | PEPB |
| people | PAOEPL |
| perhaps | PHRAPS |
| person | PERPBS |
| phone | TPOEPB |
| pick | PEUBG |
| picture | P*EUFP |
| piece | PAOES |
| pig | PEUG |
| pink | P*EUPBG |
| plan | PHRAPB |
| plane | PHRAEUPB |
| play | PHRAEU |
| please | PHRAOEZ |
| point | POEUPBT |
| police | PHRAOES |
| poor | PAOR |
| port | PORT |
| possible | POBLS |
| post | POEFT |
| pot | POT |
| pound | POUPBD |
| power | POUR |
| prepare | PRER |
| press | PRES |
| pretty | PREUT |
| probably | PROBL |
| problem | PROPBL |
| produce | TKPRAOUS |
| product | PROBGTD |
| program | PROERPLG |
| proper | PRORP |
| pull | PUL |
| push | PURB |
| put | PUT |
| quarter | KWORT |
| question | KWEFPBS |
| quick | KWEUBG |
| radio | RAEUD |
| raise | RAEUZ |
| ran | RAPB |
| rat | RAT |
| rather | RA*RT |
| read | RAOED |
| ready | RAED |
| real | RAOEL |
| reason | RAOEPBZ |
| red | RED |
| remember | RER |
| rest | REFT |
| rich | REUFP |
| right | RAOEUT |
| road | RAOD |
| room | RAOPL |
| run | RUPB |
| sad | SAD |
| said | SED |
| same | SAEUPL |
| sat | SAT |
| saw | SAU |
| say | SAEU |
| school | SKAOL |
| see | SAOE |
| sell | SEL |
| seven | S*EFPB |
| she | SHE |
| sheep | SHAOEP |
| short | SHORT |
| sing | SEUPBG |
| sit | SEUT |
| six | SEUBGS |
| sky | SKAOEU |
| sleep | SHRAOEP |
| slow | SHROE |
| small | SPHAUL |
| so | SO |
| some | SOPL |
| stand | STAPBD |
| star | STAR |
| start | START |
| stay | STAEU |
| still | STEUL |
| stop | STOP |
| strong | STROPBG |
| sun | SUPB |
| swim | SWEUPL |
| table | TAEUBL |
| take | TAEUBG |
| talk | TAUBG |
| tea | TAOE |
| teach | TAOEFP |
| tell | TEL |
| ten | TEPB |
| that | THA |
| the | -T |
| their | THAEUR |
| then | THEPB |
| there | THR |
| these | THEZ |
| they | THE |
| think | THEU |
| this | TH |
| those | THOEZ |
| three | THRAOE |
| time | TAOEUPL |
| to | TO |
| today | TOED |
| too | TAO |
| train | TRAEUPB |
| tree | TRAOE |
| try | TRAOEU |
| two | TWO |
| up | UP |
| use | AOUZ |
| very | SRER |
| wait | WAEUT |
| walk | WAUBG |
| want | WAPBT |
| was | WAZ |
| wash | WARB |
| water | WAURT |
| we | WE |
| weak | WAOEBG |
| went | WEPBT |
| white | WHAOEUT |
| will | HR |
| win | WEUPB |
| with | W |
| woman | WAOPBL |
| work | WORBG |
| write | WRAOEUT |
| yellow | KWREL |
| yes | KWRES |
| you | U |
| your | KWROUR |
No words match that search.
Eight optional two-stroke forms
| Word | Two-stroke form |
|---|---|
| almost | AUL/PHOEFT |
| company | KUFRP/TPHAOE |
| important | EUPL/PORPBT |
| include | EUPB/KHRAOUD |
| outside | OUT/SEUD |
| probably | PROB/HRAOE |
| program | PROEG/RAPL |
| radio | RAEUD/OE |
Licence and credit
CC BY-SA 4.0
The dictionary data and its derived provenance records are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. The generator and clean engine code are MIT. CMUdict remains BSD-2-Clause, and the extracted reference pages remain under their original CC licences. Full licence texts and notices are in the repository.
Steno Start Open Dictionary by Billy Rebecchi, derived from CMUdict, Wikipedia: Stenotype, the Plover Wiki and the archived Art of Chording. Adaptations must be shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Steno Start is independent and is not affiliated with Plover or Open Steno.
Provenance
Every source, named.
The dictionary is only as trustworthy as its paper trail. These are the inputs, what each was used for and the licence it came under.
-
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Pronunciation
BSD-2-Clause Source -
Art of Chording
Theory and brief examples (Wayback archive)
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source -
Wikipedia: Stenotype
Layout, chart and examples
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source -
Plover Wiki
Top 100 words, brief ideas, cheat sheets and theory
CC BY as stated in the wiki footer Source -
Steno Start word list and rules
Word selection and outline rules
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source
Can I use this in my own app or project?
Yes, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit the Steno Start Open Dictionary and its sources, link to the licence, indicate any changes and share your adaptation under the same licence. The app's code and branding are not part of the data licence.
Is this the same dictionary that ships in Steno Start?
Yes. The 500-word set is the Steno Start Pro teaching dictionary. Steno Start Lite is a 135-word subset of it, and the 100 free sentences use only those Lite words.
Is it compatible with Plover?
It is a JSON word-to-outline map in the usual shape, so many Plover-style tools can read it. But it is a 500-word teaching set, not a full Plover dictionary, and agreement with Plover's outlines is 78.8% on this set. Check any outline before relying on it.
Why is there no full 6,000 or 100,000-word set?
A comprehensive English steno dictionary is not available under a permissive or share-alike licence that we can verify. The realistic large option is GPL data, and we do not want to mix that into a CC BY-SA set. Five hundred words is the honest, openly licensed beginner set we can publish and support.
How do I import it into Steno Start?
Unlock Pro, open the dictionaries screen and choose import. Paste the raw dictionary.json link from this page, or download the file and choose it from your device. The import stays local to your device.
Are the practice sentences included?
No. The dictionary download is the word set. The app also ships a separate pack of 3,000 Tatoeba sentences under CC BY 2.0 FR for use with imported dictionaries, with contributor attribution stored in the app's asset file.