If you used aDict before, this update is mainly for you: aDict is back.
Version 3.0 is not a small maintenance update. I rebuilt and reorganized an old dictionary app that had been sitting quietly for a long time. The new version is currently available through TestFlight, and the App Store update has not been released yet. If the TestFlight page shows existing App Store information, that is Apple displaying the current public store metadata. It does not mean that version 3.0 is already live on the App Store. After joining TestFlight and installing the beta, you will get the 3.0 build.
My goal is still simple: when you are reading on iPhone, iPad, or Mac and run into a word you are not sure about, aDict should let you look it up quickly without first deciding which website, dictionary, or tool to open.
The older version of aDict was mostly a lightweight lookup tool. Version 3.0 keeps that direction, but the app has been rebuilt around clearer pieces:
You do not need to prepare local dictionary files before using the new version. You can start with the built-in online sources and use it as a simple lookup tool. If you already have your own MDX, MDD, or StarDict files, you can import them later and use them in the same lookup flow.
aDict 3.0 dictionary source switching and input suggestions
In this version, online dictionaries are placed closer to the front of the experience. Many users do not need to manage a full personal dictionary library. They just want a reliable lookup entry point while reading.
The current beta includes online sources such as Youdao and V2EX Dict. Different sources serve different purposes. Some are better for concise definitions, while others can provide examples, word origins, related expressions, or contextual notes. aDict does not merge them into one black box. Instead, it lets you switch between sources when needed.
This is one of the areas I still want to refine: lookup should feel fast, source switching should be obvious, and the result page should stay quiet enough for daily use.
If you originally used aDict because of local dictionaries, that path is still there.