Hyperwords is a Firefox add-on that allows you to explore the meanings of words by typing them into the address bar. This can be a great way to find related terms and phrases, as well as learn new words. To use Hyperwords, you first need to install it from the Firefox Add-ons store. Once it’s installed, open up Firefox and click on the three lines in the top left corner of the window. This will show you a list of all your add-ons. On the left side of this list, you’ll see Hyperwords. Click on it to start using it. Once Hyperwords is active, you’ll see a box at the bottom of your address bar that says “hyperlinks.” This is where you can type in any word or phrase and see how many different meanings it has been associated with. For example, if you type “browsing,” Hyperwords will show you all of the different types of browsing that have been done in the past: online browsing, offline browsing, reading books online…the list goes on and on! If you want to explore more than one meaning for a given word or phrase, just type them into the hyperlink box and click on one of the links that will open up in a new window or tab with more information about that word or phrase. You can also use hyperlinks to jump straight to specific pages or sections in your web browser’s history if you want to check something out quickly without having to scroll down! If all this hypertext exploration sounds too much for you (or if you’re not used to using Firefox), there are also some other ways to enjoy hypertext without using Hyperwords. For example, Mozilla’s own Thunderbird extension offers its own set of features for exploring hypertextual content (including support for search engines). If all this hypertext exploration isn’t enough foryou, then there are also plenty of other ways to enjoy web content

Using Hyperwords

Once the extension has finished installing you will be presented with a demo video that will let you learn more about how Hyperwords works.

For our first example we chose to look for more information concerning “WASP-12b” using Wikipedia. Notice the small bluish circle on the lower right of the highlighted term…it is the default access for the Hyperwords menu (access by hovering mouse over it).

If you hover over the Wikipedia (or other) link you can access the information in a scrollable popup window.

Or if you prefer click on the link to view the information in a new tab. Choose the style that best suits your needs.

Hyperwords is extremely useful for quick unit conversions.

Suppose you want to share a news story that you have found while browsing. Highlight the title, access Hyperwords, and choose your preferred sharing source.

You may need to authorize access for Hyperwords to post to your account.

Once you have authorized access you can start sharing those links very easily. This is just a small sampling of Hyperwords many useful features.

Preferences

Hyperwords has a nice set of preferences available to help you customize it. Alter the menu popup style, add or remove menu entries, and modify other functions for Hyperwords.

Conclusion

Hyperwords makes a nice addition to Firefox for anyone needing quick access to search, reference, translation, and other services while browsing.

Links

Download the Hyperwords extension (Mozilla Add-ons)

Download the Hyperwords extension (Extension Homepage)