diff --git a/maps/dictionary.go b/maps/dictionary.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dd19ad4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maps/dictionary.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+package maps
+
+type Dictionary map[string]string
+
+const (
+  ErrNotFound = DictionaryErr("could not find the word you were looking for")
+  ErrWordExists = DictionaryErr("cannot add word because it already exists")
+  ErrWordDoesNotExist = DictionaryErr("cannot update word because it does not exist")
+)
+
+type DictionaryErr string
+
+func (e DictionaryErr) Error() string {
+  return string(e)
+}
+
+func (d Dictionary) Search(word string) (string, error) {
+  definition, ok := d[word]
+  if !ok {
+    return "", ErrNotFound
+  }
+
+  return definition, nil
+}
+
+func (d Dictionary) Add(word, definition string) error {
+  _, err := d.Search(word)
+
+  switch err {
+  case ErrNotFound:
+    d[word] = definition
+  case nil:
+    return ErrWordExists
+  default:
+    return err
+  }
+
+  return nil
+}
+
+func (d Dictionary) Update(word, definition string) error {
+  _, err := d.Search(word)
+
+  switch err {
+  case ErrNotFound:
+    return ErrWordDoesNotExist
+  case nil:
+    d[word] = definition
+  default:
+    return err
+  }
+
+  return nil
+}
+
+func (d Dictionary) Delete(word string) {
+  delete(d, word)
+}
diff --git a/maps/dictionary_test.go b/maps/dictionary_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1ce538
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maps/dictionary_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+package maps
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestSearch(t *testing.T) {
+  dictionary := Dictionary{"test": "this is just a test"}
+
+  t.Run("known word", func(t *testing.T) {
+    got, _ := dictionary.Search("test")
+    want := "this is just a test"
+
+    assertStrings(t, got, want)
+  })
+
+  t.Run("unknown word", func(t *testing.T) {
+    _, got := dictionary.Search("unknown")
+
+    assertError(t, got, ErrNotFound)
+  })
+}
+
+func TestAdd(t *testing.T) {
+  t.Run("new word", func(t *testing.T) {
+    dictionary := Dictionary{}
+    word := "test"
+    definition := "this is just a test"
+
+    err := dictionary.Add(word, definition)
+
+    assertError(t, err, nil)
+    assertDefinition(t, dictionary, word, definition)
+  })
+  t.Run("existing word", func(t *testing.T) {
+    word := "test"
+    definition := "this is just a test"
+    dictionary := Dictionary{word: definition}
+    err := dictionary.Add(word, "new test")
+
+    assertError(t, err, ErrWordExists)
+    assertDefinition(t, dictionary, word, definition)
+  })
+}
+
+func TestUpdate(t *testing.T) {
+  t.Run("existing word", func(t *testing.T) {
+    word := "test"
+    definition := "this is just a test"
+    dictionary := Dictionary{word: definition}
+    newDefinition := "new definition"
+
+    err := dictionary.Update(word, newDefinition)
+
+    assertError(t, err, nil)
+    assertDefinition(t, dictionary, word, newDefinition)
+  })
+
+  t.Run("new word", func(t *testing.T) {
+    word := "test"
+    definition := "this is just a test"
+    dictionary := Dictionary{}
+
+    err := dictionary.Update(word, definition)
+
+    assertError(t, err, ErrWordDoesNotExist)
+  })
+}
+
+func TestDelete(t *testing.T) {
+  word := "test"
+  dictionary := Dictionary{word: "test definition"}
+
+  dictionary.Delete(word)
+
+  _, err := dictionary.Search(word)
+  if err != ErrNotFound {
+    t.Errorf("Expected %q to be deleted", word)
+  }
+}
+
+func assertDefinition(t testing.TB, dictionary Dictionary, word, definition string) {
+  t.Helper()
+
+  got, err := dictionary.Search(word)
+  if err != nil {
+    t.Fatal("should find added word:", err)
+  }
+
+  assertStrings(t, got, definition)
+}
+
+func assertStrings(t testing.TB, got, want string) {
+  t.Helper()
+
+  if got != want {
+    t.Errorf("got %q want %q", got, want)
+  }
+}
+
+func assertError(t testing.TB, got, want error) {
+  t.Helper()
+
+  if got != want {
+    t.Errorf("got error %q want %q", got, want)
+  }
+}