A Professional’s Tutorial to Python Dictionaries

Dictionaries, a fundamental Python data structure

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Welcome to third, in a series of tutorials that teach beginner Python specifically for aspiring data scientists. For an overview of these tutorials, click here.

Introduction

In the realm of Python programming, the term “dictionary” assumes a meaning that is distinct from the conventional books filled with word definitions, etymologies, and pronunciations that many of us have encountered in our academic pursuits.

While both types of dictionaries serve as repositories of information, the nature and structure of the data they hold differ.

A traditional dictionary, familiar to most as an essential reference tool, organizes words alphabetically, offering definitions, usages, and sometimes even historical word origins and etymological linguistic developments. Its primary purpose is to aid users in understanding and employing language correctly. When printed as books these dictionaries follow a linear predictable format flowing from A to Z.

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