A Random Word

Credits & Licenses

A Random Word is built on open data shared by generous people and institutions. Here is every dataset and font we use, what we use it for, and its license.

Word data

ENABLE word list

The main dictionary behind our word finders, solvers and word lists. License: public domain.

English Speller Database (SCOWL)

By Kevin Atkinson. © 2000–2026 Kevin Atkinson. We use it to tell how common a word is and to link words with their other forms (such as plurals and past tenses). License: a permissive license that allows use, copying and distribution as long as the copyright notice is kept. The full notice is below.

WordNet 3.1

© 2011 Princeton University. Definitions and parts of speech. License: the WordNet license, which allows use and distribution as long as the copyright notice and disclaimer are kept. The full notice is below.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

© 1993–2015 Carnegie Mellon University. Syllable counts and rhymes. License: a BSD-style license. The full notice is below.

U.S. Census Bureau 1990 name files

First names and last names for the name generator. License: public domain, as a work of the U.S. Government.

Other content

King James Version of the Bible

The verses on our Bible verse page. License: public domain.

Bricolage Grotesque font

© 2022 The Bricolage Grotesque Project Authors. The typeface used across the site, served from our own domain. License: SIL Open Font License 1.1.

Our own work

Everything else is written or made by A Random Word: all page copy, question banks, party-game cards, prompts, the foreign-language word lists, and all icons and line art.

License notices

English Speller Database

Copyright 2000-2026 by Kevin Atkinson

Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell any part of the English Speller Database (ESDB, previously known as SCOWLv2), or word lists created from it, is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appears in all copies and that both the above copyright notice and this notice appear in supporting documentation. Kevin Atkinson makes no representations about the suitability of this database for any purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

WordNet

This software and database is being provided to you, the LICENSEE, by Princeton University under the following license. By obtaining, using and/or copying this software and database, you agree that you have read, understood, and will comply with these terms and conditions.:

Permission to use, copy, modify and distribute this software and database and its documentation for any purpose and without fee or royalty is hereby granted, provided that you agree to comply with the following copyright notice and statements, including the disclaimer, and that the same appear on ALL copies of the software, database and documentation, including modifications that you make for internal use or for distribution.

WordNet 3.1 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

THIS SOFTWARE AND DATABASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND PRINCETON UNIVERSITY MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, BUT NOT LIMITATION, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-ABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR THAT THE USE OF THE LICENSED SOFTWARE, DATABASE OR DOCUMENTATION WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY THIRD PARTY PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, TRADEMARKS OR OTHER RIGHTS.

The name of Princeton University or Princeton may not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software and/or database. Title to copyright in this software, database and any associated documentation shall at all times remain with Princeton University and LICENSEE agrees to preserve same.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Copyright (C) 1993-2015 Carnegie Mellon University. All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

  1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. The contents of this file are deemed to be source code.
  2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

This work was supported in part by funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation of the United States of America, and by member companies of the Carnegie Mellon Sphinx Speech Consortium. We acknowledge the contributions of many volunteers to the expansion and improvement of this dictionary.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY NOR ITS EMPLOYEES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Thank you

None of these sources endorse A Random Word; we're simply grateful they exist. If you think we've missed a credit or got a detail wrong, please let us know through the contact page.

Last updated October 2, 2026