Well, the paper dictionary is one implementation of a dictionary. Conceptionally, a (language) dictionary is a tool to translate words from one language to another. When you implement it, you have to take into account what you can do to make this tool as useful as possible for your user.

Since traditional paper can't change what is written on it, you are a bit limited and simply write down the database in an ordered way to help the user find what he needs.

On electronic screens the concept can be implemented in a better way, so doing it exactly the same way as on paper would be a bad design.

So discussing a given design without looking back to the concept that should be implemented, will often bring you just to a local, but not to a global optimum.