As most online dictionaries are simply the virtual representations of their paper editions and few updates or changes are made to them once they are put online, the discussion in this section will mainly focus on those online dictionaries that have been created ex nihilo, namely the third type of online dictionaries. The advantages and disadvantages of DIY dictionaries are quite obvious so far as the inclusion of entries, the provision of definitions, the choice of illustrative examples, and the overall consistency are concerned.
When it comes to the entries in Wiktionary and Urban Dictionary, one of their most prominent advantages is their unlimited ability in including new entries and providing several illustrative examples or other relevant information (e.g. etymological information). Goaded by its goal to define all words in all languages, Wiktionary has included more than 2,882,0006 entries in its English edition. Likewise, Urban Dictionary is growing at a rapid pace, as attested by the fact that it now boasts a total of 55,485 entries with headwords starting with the letter A. Similarly, unlimited space has made it possible to online dictionaries put as many examples as possible to better illustrate the uses of its headwords. Any reader will definitely be impressed by the four examples provided for the entry celebutante as each of the four examples, with dates ranging from 1985 to 2007, are quoted directly from English newspapers.