It can be argued that Plato is the most important philosopher in all of human history. While he is well studied, he is not necessarily well understood. Obviously a reading of his major works is a necessary first step. At some point, however, it is helpful to go to scholars to go deeper in the conversation.
A helpful resource is the Cambridge Companion to Plato edited by Richard Kraut. This is not a dictionary but rather is a collection of essays by some of today’s top Plato scholars. Each picked an aspect of Plato’s thought and wrote an essay of approximately twenty pages. Topics include the intellectual background, role of Socrates, love, religion, politics and many more.
With only fifteen chapters, it is not possible for every topic to be addressed. However, there is enough in this volume to help the reader to know what the questions are and to point them in the right direction. There is also a helpful bibliography which is a great resource.
If you have just started studying Plato and are looking for some help, the Cambridge Companion to Plato might be what you need.
