diff --git a/Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex b/Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex
index 222a061..1ea8c10 100644
--- a/Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex
+++ b/Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
   \code{del \var{x}.\var{foobar}}.
 \end{funcdesc}
 
-\begin{funcdesc}{dictionary}{\optional{mapping-or-sequence}}
+\begin{funcdesc}{dict}{\optional{mapping-or-sequence}}
   Return a new dictionary initialized from the optional argument.
   If an argument is not specified, return a new empty dictionary.
   If the argument is a mapping object, return a dictionary mapping the
@@ -191,12 +191,12 @@
   \code{\{1: 2, 2: 3\}}:
 
   \begin{itemize}
-    \item \code{dictionary(\{1: 2, 2: 3\})}
-    \item \code{dictionary(\{1: 2, 2: 3\}.items())}
-    \item \code{dictionary(\{1: 2, 2: 3\}.iteritems())}
-    \item \code{dictionary(zip((1, 2), (2, 3)))}
-    \item \code{dictionary([[2, 3], [1, 2]])}
-    \item \code{dictionary([(i-1, i) for i in (2, 3)])}
+    \item \code{dict(\{1: 2, 2: 3\})}
+    \item \code{dict(\{1: 2, 2: 3\}.items())}
+    \item \code{dict(\{1: 2, 2: 3\}.iteritems())}
+    \item \code{dict(zip((1, 2), (2, 3)))}
+    \item \code{dict([[2, 3], [1, 2]])}
+    \item \code{dict([(i-1, i) for i in (2, 3)])}
   \end{itemize}
 \end{funcdesc}
 
diff --git a/Lib/repr.py b/Lib/repr.py
index 0362680..c69ce28 100644
--- a/Lib/repr.py
+++ b/Lib/repr.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
             s = s + self.repr1(x[i], level-1)
         if n > self.maxlist: s = s + ', ...'
         return '[' + s + ']'
-    def repr_dictionary(self, x, level):
+    def repr_dict(self, x, level):
         n = len(x)
         if n == 0: return '{}'
         if level <= 0: return '{...}'
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_descr.py b/Lib/test/test_descr.py
index 97e92da..e0c80ae 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_descr.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_descr.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
     for i in d.__iter__(): l.append(i)
     vereq(l, l1)
     l = []
-    for i in dictionary.__iter__(d): l.append(i)
+    for i in dict.__iter__(d): l.append(i)
     vereq(l, l1)
     d = {1:2, 3:4}
     testunop(d, 2, "len(a)", "__len__")
@@ -173,20 +173,20 @@
 
 def dict_constructor():
     if verbose:
-        print "Testing dictionary constructor ..."
-    d = dictionary()
+        print "Testing dict constructor ..."
+    d = dict()
     vereq(d, {})
-    d = dictionary({})
+    d = dict({})
     vereq(d, {})
-    d = dictionary(items={})
+    d = dict(items={})
     vereq(d, {})
-    d = dictionary({1: 2, 'a': 'b'})
+    d = dict({1: 2, 'a': 'b'})
     vereq(d, {1: 2, 'a': 'b'})
-    vereq(d, dictionary(d.items()))
-    vereq(d, dictionary(items=d.iteritems()))
+    vereq(d, dict(d.items()))
+    vereq(d, dict(items=d.iteritems()))
     for badarg in 0, 0L, 0j, "0", [0], (0,):
         try:
-            dictionary(badarg)
+            dict(badarg)
         except TypeError:
             pass
         except ValueError:
@@ -196,37 +196,37 @@
                 # one seemed better as a ValueError than a TypeError.
                 pass
             else:
-                raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dictionary(%r)" % badarg)
+                raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dict(%r)" % badarg)
         else:
-            raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dictionary(%r)" % badarg)
+            raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dict(%r)" % badarg)
     try:
-        dictionary(senseless={})
+        dict(senseless={})
     except TypeError:
         pass
     else:
-        raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dictionary(senseless={})")
+        raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dict(senseless={})")
 
     try:
-        dictionary({}, {})
+        dict({}, {})
     except TypeError:
         pass
     else:
-        raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dictionary({}, {})")
+        raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dict({}, {})")
 
     class Mapping:
         # Lacks a .keys() method; will be added later.
         dict = {1:2, 3:4, 'a':1j}
 
     try:
-        dictionary(Mapping())
+        dict(Mapping())
     except TypeError:
         pass
     else:
-        raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dictionary(incomplete mapping)")
+        raise TestFailed("no TypeError from dict(incomplete mapping)")
 
     Mapping.keys = lambda self: self.dict.keys()
     Mapping.__getitem__ = lambda self, i: self.dict[i]
-    d = dictionary(items=Mapping())
+    d = dict(items=Mapping())
     vereq(d, Mapping.dict)
 
     # Init from sequence of iterable objects, each producing a 2-sequence.
@@ -237,23 +237,23 @@
         def __iter__(self):
             return iter([self.first, self.last])
 
-    d = dictionary([AddressBookEntry('Tim', 'Warsaw'),
+    d = dict([AddressBookEntry('Tim', 'Warsaw'),
                     AddressBookEntry('Barry', 'Peters'),
                     AddressBookEntry('Tim', 'Peters'),
                     AddressBookEntry('Barry', 'Warsaw')])
     vereq(d, {'Barry': 'Warsaw', 'Tim': 'Peters'})
 
-    d = dictionary(zip(range(4), range(1, 5)))
-    vereq(d, dictionary([(i, i+1) for i in range(4)]))
+    d = dict(zip(range(4), range(1, 5)))
+    vereq(d, dict([(i, i+1) for i in range(4)]))
 
     # Bad sequence lengths.
     for bad in [('tooshort',)], [('too', 'long', 'by 1')]:
         try:
-            dictionary(bad)
+            dict(bad)
         except ValueError:
             pass
         else:
-            raise TestFailed("no ValueError from dictionary(%r)" % bad)
+            raise TestFailed("no ValueError from dict(%r)" % bad)
 
 def test_dir():
     if verbose:
@@ -543,13 +543,13 @@
 
 def pydicts():
     if verbose: print "Testing Python subclass of dict..."
-    verify(issubclass(dictionary, dictionary))
-    verify(isinstance({}, dictionary))
-    d = dictionary()
+    verify(issubclass(dict, dict))
+    verify(isinstance({}, dict))
+    d = dict()
     vereq(d, {})
-    verify(d.__class__ is dictionary)
-    verify(isinstance(d, dictionary))
-    class C(dictionary):
+    verify(d.__class__ is dict)
+    verify(isinstance(d, dict))
+    class C(dict):
         state = -1
         def __init__(self, *a, **kw):
             if a:
@@ -561,12 +561,12 @@
             return self.get(key, 0)
         def __setitem__(self, key, value):
             assert isinstance(key, type(0))
-            dictionary.__setitem__(self, key, value)
+            dict.__setitem__(self, key, value)
         def setstate(self, state):
             self.state = state
         def getstate(self):
             return self.state
-    verify(issubclass(C, dictionary))
+    verify(issubclass(C, dict))
     a1 = C(12)
     vereq(a1.state, 12)
     a2 = C(foo=1, bar=2)
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@
     vereq(a.getstate(), 0)
     a.setstate(10)
     vereq(a.getstate(), 10)
-    class D(dictionary, C):
+    class D(dict, C):
         def __init__(self):
             type({}).__init__(self)
             C.__init__(self)
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@
     vereq(d.getstate(), 0)
     d.setstate(10)
     vereq(d.getstate(), 10)
-    vereq(D.__mro__, (D, dictionary, C, object))
+    vereq(D.__mro__, (D, dict, C, object))
 
     # SF bug #442833
     class Node(object):
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@
     if verbose: print "Testing errors..."
 
     try:
-        class C(list, dictionary):
+        class C(list, dict):
             pass
     except TypeError:
         pass
@@ -1865,10 +1865,10 @@
     vereq(unicode(string='abc', errors='strict'), u'abc')
     vereq(tuple(sequence=range(3)), (0, 1, 2))
     vereq(list(sequence=(0, 1, 2)), range(3))
-    vereq(dictionary(items={1: 2}), {1: 2})
+    vereq(dict(items={1: 2}), {1: 2})
 
     for constructor in (int, float, long, complex, str, unicode,
-                        tuple, list, dictionary, file):
+                        tuple, list, dict, file):
         try:
             constructor(bogus_keyword_arg=1)
         except TypeError:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_descrtut.py b/Lib/test/test_descrtut.py
index 2e019aa..eb44200 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_descrtut.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_descrtut.py
@@ -11,21 +11,21 @@
 from test_support import sortdict
 import pprint
 
-class defaultdict(dictionary):
+class defaultdict(dict):
     def __init__(self, default=None):
-        dictionary.__init__(self)
+        dict.__init__(self)
         self.default = default
 
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         try:
-            return dictionary.__getitem__(self, key)
+            return dict.__getitem__(self, key)
         except KeyError:
             return self.default
 
     def get(self, key, *args):
         if not args:
             args = (self.default,)
-        return dictionary.get(self, key, *args)
+        return dict.get(self, key, *args)
 
     def merge(self, other):
         for key in other:
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
     3.25
     >>> print a[0]                      # a non-existant item
     0.0
-    >>> a.merge({1:100, 2:200})         # use a dictionary method
+    >>> a.merge({1:100, 2:200})         # use a dict method
     >>> print sortdict(a)               # show the result
     {1: 3.25, 2: 200}
     >>>
@@ -111,23 +111,23 @@
     >>>
 """
 
-class defaultdict2(dictionary):
+class defaultdict2(dict):
     __slots__ = ['default']
 
     def __init__(self, default=None):
-        dictionary.__init__(self)
+        dict.__init__(self)
         self.default = default
 
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         try:
-            return dictionary.__getitem__(self, key)
+            return dict.__getitem__(self, key)
         except KeyError:
             return self.default
 
     def get(self, key, *args):
         if not args:
             args = (self.default,)
-        return dictionary.get(self, key, *args)
+        return dict.get(self, key, *args)
 
     def merge(self, other):
         for key in other:
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@
     <type 'list'>
     >>> isinstance([], list)
     1
-    >>> isinstance([], dictionary)
+    >>> isinstance([], dict)
     0
     >>> isinstance([], object)
     1
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_repr.py b/Lib/test/test_repr.py
index e7b564e..a659002 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_repr.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_repr.py
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
     def test_descriptors(self):
         eq = self.assertEquals
         # method descriptors
-        eq(repr(dictionary.items), "<method 'items' of 'dictionary' objects>")
+        eq(repr(dict.items), "<method 'items' of 'dict' objects>")
         # XXX member descriptors
         # XXX attribute descriptors
         # XXX slot descriptors
diff --git a/Lib/types.py b/Lib/types.py
index c5737a4..11bd4b4 100644
--- a/Lib/types.py
+++ b/Lib/types.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 
 TupleType = tuple
 ListType = list
-DictType = DictionaryType = dictionary
+DictType = DictionaryType = dict
 
 def _f(): pass
 FunctionType = type(_f)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 55e916b..9711905 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 
 Type/class unification and new-style classes
 
+- The new builtin dictionary() constructor, and dictionary type, have
+  been renamed to dict.  This reflects a decade of common usage.
+
 - New-style classes can now have a __del__ method, which is called
   when the instance is deleted (just like for classic classes).
 
diff --git a/Objects/dictobject.c b/Objects/dictobject.c
index 167f901..019f112 100644
--- a/Objects/dictobject.c
+++ b/Objects/dictobject.c
@@ -1784,7 +1784,7 @@
 	static char *kwlist[] = {"items", 0};
 	int result = 0;
 
-	if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "|O:dictionary",
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "|O:dict",
 					 kwlist, &arg))
 		result = -1;
 
@@ -1804,10 +1804,10 @@
 }
 
 static char dictionary_doc[] =
-"dictionary() -> new empty dictionary.\n"
-"dictionary(mapping) -> new dict initialized from a mapping object's\n"
+"dict() -> new empty dictionary.\n"
+"dict(mapping) -> new dictionary initialized from a mapping object's\n"
 "    (key, value) pairs.\n"
-"dictionary(seq) -> new dict initialized as if via:\n"
+"dict(seq) -> new dictionary initialized as if via:\n"
 "    d = {}\n"
 "    for k, v in seq:\n"
 "        d[k] = v";
@@ -1815,7 +1815,7 @@
 PyTypeObject PyDict_Type = {
 	PyObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type)
 	0,
-	"dictionary",
+	"dict",
 	sizeof(dictobject),
 	0,
 	(destructor)dict_dealloc,		/* tp_dealloc */
diff --git a/Objects/typeobject.c b/Objects/typeobject.c
index b7abba9..39214e7 100644
--- a/Objects/typeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/typeobject.c
@@ -2484,7 +2484,7 @@
 	}
 
 	/* Check that the use doesn't do something silly and unsafe like
-	   object.__new__(dictionary).  To do this, we check that the
+	   object.__new__(dict).  To do this, we check that the
 	   most derived base that's not a heap type is this type. */
 	staticbase = subtype;
 	while (staticbase && (staticbase->tp_flags & Py_TPFLAGS_HEAPTYPE))
diff --git a/Python/bltinmodule.c b/Python/bltinmodule.c
index ac2aa5a..5f5ae4c 100644
--- a/Python/bltinmodule.c
+++ b/Python/bltinmodule.c
@@ -1848,7 +1848,7 @@
 #ifndef WITHOUT_COMPLEX
 	SETBUILTIN("complex",		&PyComplex_Type);
 #endif
-	SETBUILTIN("dictionary",	&PyDict_Type);
+	SETBUILTIN("dict",		&PyDict_Type);
 	SETBUILTIN("float",		&PyFloat_Type);
 	SETBUILTIN("property",		&PyProperty_Type);
 	SETBUILTIN("int",		&PyInt_Type);