## F.12. dict\_xsyn

[F.12.1. Configuration](dict-xsyn.html#id-1.11.7.21.4)[F.12.2. Usage](dict-xsyn.html#id-1.11.7.21.5)

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`dict_xsyn` (Extended Synonym Dictionary) is an example of an add-on dictionary template for full-text search. This dictionary type replaces words with groups of their synonyms, and so makes it possible to search for a word using any of its synonyms.

### F.12.1. Configuration

 A `dict_xsyn` dictionary accepts the following options:

* `matchorig` controls whether the original word is accepted by the dictionary. Default is `true`.

* `matchsynonyms` controls whether the synonyms are accepted by the dictionary. Default is `false`.

* `keeporig` controls whether the original word is included in the dictionary's output. Default is `true`.

* `keepsynonyms` controls whether the synonyms are included in the dictionary's output. Default is `true`.

* `rules` is the base name of the file containing the list of synonyms. This file must be stored in `$SHAREDIR/tsearch_data/` (where `$SHAREDIR` means the PostgreSQL installation's shared-data directory). Its name must end in `.rules` (which is not to be included in the `rules` parameter).

 The rules file has the following format:

* Each line represents a group of synonyms for a single word, which is given first on the line. Synonyms are separated by whitespace, thus:

  ```
  word syn1 syn2 syn3

  ```

* The sharp (`#`) sign is a comment delimiter. It may appear at any position in a line. The rest of the line will be skipped.

 Look at `xsyn_sample.rules`, which is installed in `$SHAREDIR/tsearch_data/`, for an example.

### F.12.2. Usage

 Installing the `dict_xsyn` extension creates a text search template `xsyn_template` and a dictionary `xsyn` based on it, with default parameters. You can alter the parameters, for example

```
mydb# ALTER TEXT SEARCH DICTIONARY xsyn (RULES='my_rules', KEEPORIG=false);
ALTER TEXT SEARCH DICTIONARY

```

 or create new dictionaries based on the template.

 To test the dictionary, you can try

```
mydb=# SELECT ts_lexize('xsyn', 'word');
      ts_lexize