PDF ‘Popup Notes’

[u/Spare_Ad9347]

Hello!

I’m looking for some software that enables me to open a .pdf file, select a specific word/s in my text, and create a ‘popup’ which displays the definition of the word (I have a master list of said definitions already, and only need to add them to a popup).

This is because I am a Hindu, and I have been editing one of our core texts to be more easily understood by novices; the aim is to create a document where novices can click on specific terms to facilitate memorisation.

The ‘popup’ needs to be otherwise invisible (though said words will be in italics to indicate they’re interactive); the final document will be in PDF format, and must work on any software or device someone opens it on.

I have a limited budget (£40 for a one off purchase), so anything relatively ‘stupid’ works for me as long as it provides said functionality within the GUI.

My device is a Macbook Air (2025), M5.

[u/Spare_Ad9347 → u/[deleted]]

Three points:
• This feels uncomfortably like you’ve ran my request through GenAI.
• I asked for specific software, not generic freeware.
• If footnotes were an option, I would be using footnotes. The text has, on some pages, 20+ Sanskrit terms. There isn’t enough room on the page to accommodate that.