Approximate-search options automatically allow for 'intelligent' wildcards.
Only values that are plausible in orthographic or phonemic terms are allowed -
rot might match lot (sometimes indistinguishable in Thai
pronunciation), but would never match sot or rok. Every
language has a unique set of plausible approximations.
SearchmeaningVallow approximation in vowel length and reasonably close sounds:
including short/long vowels
Callow approximation of easily-confused consonant sounds CVallows both vowel and consonant approximationWIPA or Thai search: ignores the difference between syllables (separated
by '-') and words (separated by spaces): pra jam and pra-jam
become equivalent.
Text search: expands an English target to include
derivative and root forms: house (or any derivative form) becomes house, houses, housed, housingCVWallows both vowel and consonant approximation, and ignores syllable/word distinction.Allsearches for a match by gradually allowing more and more substitutions.
Applies only to complete-word matches.
Words, subentries, and syllables
As a rule, headwords are 'whole' words, while compound subentries
are combinations of headwords.
Typemeaningsyllable or longermatch any complete syllable, even if it's only part of
a word or subentry. Returns the most matcheswhole word / word in subentrymatches any whole head (or compound) word, as well as
a subentry that includes the head. For example, a search for
boat (in Thai, Burmese, etc.)
would return matches for sailboat, rowboat, and so on.
.complete or compound wordonly return a match the a full headword or subentry. This will
have the fewest matches.