Custom Dictionaries on Kindle Scribe

retoid · 02-04-2026, 03:27 PM

I've tried to load in custom dictionaries into a Kindle Scribe 2024 multiple times and ways to no avail. It seems that this is probably not even possible. Is this function baked into the firmware?

If this is at all possible, I would love to hear any info or options on what I can try. One of the main features I want on this Kindle is to have a working custom dictionary while reading books. And outside of Koreader if possible since Koreader does not support the Scribe annotation.

Thanks

tomsem · Yesterday, 04:31 AM

Where are you getting custom dictionaries? They have to be in .mobi7/prc dictionary format

It's working on my 2022 Scribe, which runs the same software version as yours.

That said, the Czech-English one I got for free does not work nearly as well as the one I purchased from Amazon.

retoid · Yesterday, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Where are you getting custom dictionaries? They have to be in .mobi7/prc dictionary format

It's working on my 2022 Scribe, which runs the same software version as yours.

That said, the Czech-English one I got for free does not work nearly as well as the one I purchased from Amazon.

I found the dictionary I am looking for here: https://archive.org/download/noah-we...g-white-estate
And it's in a few different formats. I had tried converting it from the .xml using chat gpt to help me. I used a python script to convert it into an .AZ3W format.
It loads onto the Kindle but not registering as a Dictionary and it doesn't show up under Settings/Languages and Dictionaries/Dictionaries as an option to use.

I just tried converting it to MOBI and sending it to the Kindle Scribe and it does not show up in there either.

Does your MOBI version show up in these settings?

retoid · Yesterday, 11:14 AM

I tried downloading two different .EPUB versions of this just now and opening them into Kindle Previewer 3. However both give me a Conversion Error message when trying to open them. And when I check the error log it just says this:

"Type","Description"
"Status","Book conversion successful."

j.p.s · Yesterday, 11:42 AM

As tomsem wrote, it has to be in mobi7/prc dictionary format. Converting to mobi format in and of itself does not put it in dictionary format.

Have you read the sticky dictionary FAQ thread at the top of this very forum?
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=131137

retoid · Yesterday, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.p.s

As tomsem wrote, it has to be in mobi7/prc dictionary format. Converting to mobi format in and of itself does not put it in dictionary format.

Have you read the sticky dictionary FAQ thread at the top of this very forum?
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=131137

Thank you for this information, I admit I searched around for this info but did not find it so I created this thread. I guess I didn't look hard enough. I appreciate you linking this. I will review this and see if I can figure out how to create a working lookup dictionary.

retoid · Yesterday, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Where are you getting custom dictionaries? They have to be in .mobi7/prc dictionary format

It's working on my 2022 Scribe, which runs the same software version as yours.

That said, the Czech-English one I got for free does not work nearly as well as the one I purchased from Amazon.

Unfortunately I am unable to get this to work. The .txt file from the link I linked above for the dictionary does not seem to be a Tab Delimited format and running the tab2opf.py throws an error "Not enough values to unpack (expected 2, got 1)".

I have been searching high and low for a a version of this particular 1828 dictionary that I can either buy or use to create the proper format but I am not finding anything.

I do see some Kindle options of it on Amazon but I suspect they are not going to work as a Lookup dictionary.

Any other tips on what I might try?

retoid · Today, 12:25 AM

I am convinced this is impossible.

tomsem · Today, 03:02 AM

I think there are tools that can convert the between various dictionary formats. This one looks interesting (disclaimer: I have never used it):

https://cubevic.github.io/My_notes/M...ictionary.html

retoid · Today, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

I think there are tools that can convert the between various dictionary formats. This one looks interesting (disclaimer: I have never used it):

https://cubevic.github.io/My_notes/M...ictionary.html

I think the issue is that the Kindle Scribe (2024) on firmware 5.17.2 has different requirements and is very particular about those.
I don't know for certain what exactly they all are, I've tried making this work numerous times. Sometimes trying with the assistance of ChatGPT which is pretty stupid but it does seem to pull up some particular info on what it's needing, but I have no idea where it's pulling/gathering that information from.

https://i.imgur.com/A5pFrVx.png

https://i.imgur.com/MdpPm2t.png

I've had someone else try and create one for me using Calibre into a .mobi and apparently that works on their Kindle (not a Scribe I presume.)
I've attached it here. It loads as a book into my Kindle and generates the sdr folder. but does not show up as a lookup Dictionary in settings.

I purchased this version from Amazon to see if it would work.
https://www.amazon.com/American-Dict...-9696666?psc=1
It did not work as a lookup dictionary either.

I know how to run a script here and there but this is beginning to feel over my head.
I am also not sure what the best starting point is, supposedly I need a tab delimited text file and I am not sure if I am properly making that.

jhowell · Today, 10:58 AM

The MOBI file you posted is not a dictionary. It needs to be in a very specific variant of MOBI format that cannot be produced using calibre.

Creating a working dictionary for Kindles is not easy. I don't know of a good tutorial for beginners.

Amazon's documentation is here: Creating Dictionaries. And there is some useful information spread out over this long and somewhat outdated thread: How to create your own mobipocket dictionary for any language.

Perhaps someone else knows of something better.

retoid · Today, 11:46 AM

I think I can manage to figure it all out as long as I can figure out how to get the Tab Delimited Text correctly. I don't really see any info on how to properly set that up.

retoid · Today, 11:50 AM

This is what I've managed to create so far, I am not sure if this is correct or not for a starting point.

retoid · Today, 11:52 AM

Text file here.

retoid · Today, 12:39 PM

kindlegen.exe does not generate a working .mobi for a lookup dictionary for this particular Kindle Scribe 2024. Nothing seems to work. I've tried it all. I contacted Amazon as well, they just send me through hoops.
I am certain that Amazon has made this an impossible task for anyone to create a custom working lookup dictionary on this model/firmware apart from them making it.

Waste of time, Kindle was a poor choice. Maybe Boox is the better option here.

Thank you to those who responded here to help me out, I appreciate your time and effort.

02-04-2026, 03:27 PM	#1
retoid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle Scribe (2024)	Custom Dictionaries on Kindle Scribe I've tried to load in custom dictionaries into a Kindle Scribe 2024 multiple times and ways to no avail. It seems that this is probably not even possible. Is this function baked into the firmware? If this is at all possible, I would love to hear any info or options on what I can try. One of the main features I want on this Kindle is to have a working custom dictionary while reading books. And outside of Koreader if possible since Koreader does not support the Scribe annotation. Thanks

Yesterday, 04:31 AM	#2
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,121 Karma: 28000001 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Where are you getting custom dictionaries? They have to be in .mobi7/prc dictionary format It's working on my 2022 Scribe, which runs the same software version as yours. That said, the Czech-English one I got for free does not work nearly as well as the one I purchased from Amazon. Last edited by tomsem; Yesterday at 04:37 AM.

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Yesterday, 11:14 AM	#4
retoid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle Scribe (2024)	I tried downloading two different .EPUB versions of this just now and opening them into Kindle Previewer 3. However both give me a Conversion Error message when trying to open them. And when I check the error log it just says this: "Type","Description" "Status","Book conversion successful."

Yesterday, 11:42 AM	#5
j.p.s Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,928 Karma: 106187745 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: pb360	As tomsem wrote, it has to be in mobi7/prc dictionary format. Converting to mobi format in and of itself does not put it in dictionary format. Have you read the sticky dictionary FAQ thread at the top of this very forum? https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=131137

Today, 12:25 AM	#8
retoid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle Scribe (2024)	I am convinced this is impossible.

Today, 03:02 AM	#9
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,121 Karma: 28000001 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	I think there are tools that can convert the between various dictionary formats. This one looks interesting (disclaimer: I have never used it): https://cubevic.github.io/My_notes/M...ictionary.html

Today, 10:58 AM	#11
jhowell Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,248 Karma: 95018123 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlottesville, VA Device: Kindles	The MOBI file you posted is not a dictionary. It needs to be in a very specific variant of MOBI format that cannot be produced using calibre. Creating a working dictionary for Kindles is not easy. I don't know of a good tutorial for beginners. Amazon's documentation is here: Creating Dictionaries. And there is some useful information spread out over this long and somewhat outdated thread: How to create your own mobipocket dictionary for any language. Perhaps someone else knows of something better.

Today, 11:46 AM	#12
retoid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle Scribe (2024)	I think I can manage to figure it all out as long as I can figure out how to get the Tab Delimited Text correctly. I don't really see any info on how to properly set that up.

Today, 11:50 AM	#13
retoid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle Scribe (2024)	This is what I've managed to create so far, I am not sure if this is correct or not for a starting point.

Today, 12:39 PM	#15
retoid Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle Scribe (2024)	kindlegen.exe does not generate a working .mobi for a lookup dictionary for this particular Kindle Scribe 2024. Nothing seems to work. I've tried it all. I contacted Amazon as well, they just send me through hoops. I am certain that Amazon has made this an impossible task for anyone to create a custom working lookup dictionary on this model/firmware apart from them making it. Waste of time, Kindle was a poor choice. Maybe Boox is the better option here. Thank you to those who responded here to help me out, I appreciate your time and effort.