A system and method for providing reference information to a user of a wireless terminal operating within a wireless network. Request identifiers are entered at the wireless terminal to identify desired reference information corresponding to the request. The desired reference information is presented to the user via the wireless terminal if the desired reference information is locally stored at the wireless terminal. If the desired reference information is not locally stored, the request identifier is transmitted from the wireless terminal to a data server, such as a dictionary server, operating within a second network via a gateway bridging the networks, and is presented on the wireless terminal.