What is the name of the word at the top of the page in a dictionary?

You know, the thing at the words at the top of the page in the dictionary, on one side it says "Cat" and on the other "Crown." They show you the first and last word on the page in the dictionary.





It's sort of like a "header" but it has an actual name- I remember coming across it once a little while back when looking up the definition of something else.





Any ideas?

What is the name of the word at the top of the page in a dictionary?
Guide words are what I always called them.
Reply:YW...:) Report Abuse

Reply:They are none of the above...they are the "first word" defined as it appears on the page.
Reply:guide words
Reply:Catchword.


"A word placed to catch attention, as the first or last entry word of a page in a dictionary, encyclopedia, etc., printed at the top of the page as a guide."


Source: Websters New World Dictionary, Second College Edition.