diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 48e4750e2..e43190c5c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -167,3 +167,54 @@ h = mutable_binary_maxheap(Int)    # create an empty mutable min/max heap
 h = mutable_binary_minheap([1,4,3,2])    
 h = mutable_binary_maxheap([1,4,3,2])    # create a mutable min/max heap from a vector
 ```
+
+
+## DefaultDict
+
+A DefaultDict allows specification of a default value to return when a requested key is not in a dictionary.
+
+The version of ``DefaultDict`` provided here is a wrapper around an ``Associative`` type, which defaults to ``Dict``.  All ``Associative`` and ``Dict`` methods are supported.
+
+Constructors for ``DefaultDict`` include
+```julia
+DefaultDict(default, d::Associative=Dict())  # create a DefaultDict with a default value or function,
+                                             # optionally wrapping an existing dictionary
+DefaultDict(KeyType, ValueType, default)     # create a DefaultDict with Dict type (KeyType,ValueType)
+```
+
+Examples using ``DefaultDict``:
+```julia
+dd = DefaultDict(1)               # create an (Any=>Any) DefaultDict with a default value of 1
+dd = DefaultDict(String, Int, 0)  # create a (String=>Int) DefaultDict with a default value of 0
+
+d = ['a'=>1, 'b'=>2]
+dd = DefaultDict(0, d)            # provide a default value to an existing dictionary
+dd['c'] == 0                      # true
+d['c']  == 0                      # true
+
+dd = DefaultDict(time)            # call time() to provide the default value
+dd = DefaultDict(Dict)            # Create a dictionary of dictionaries
+                                  # Dict() is called to provide the default value
+dd = DefaultDict(()->myfunc())    # call function myfunc to provide the default value
+
+# create a Dictionary of String=>DefaultDict{String, Int}, where the default of the
+# inner set of DefaultDicts is zero
+dd = DefaultDict(String, DefaultDict, ()->DefaultDict(String,Int,0))
+```
+
+Note that in the last example, we need to use a function to create each new ``DefaultDict``.
+If we forget, we will end up using the same ``DefaultDict`` for all default values:
+
+```julia
+julia> dd = DefaultDict(String, DefaultDict, DefaultDict(String,Int,0));
+
+julia> dd["a"]
+DefaultDict{String,Int64,Int64,Dict{K,V}}()
+
+julia> dd["b"]["a"] = 1
+1
+
+julia> dd["a"]
+["a"=>1]
+
+```
diff --git a/run_tests.jl b/run_tests.jl
index 601994036..7a3d71b7a 100644
--- a/run_tests.jl
+++ b/run_tests.jl
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ tests = ["deque",
 		 "classifiedcollections",
 		 "disjoint_set", 
 		 "binheap", 
-		 "mutable_binheap"]
+		 "mutable_binheap",
+		 "defaultdict"]
 
 for t in tests
 	fp = joinpath("test", "test_$t.jl")
diff --git a/src/DataStructures.jl b/src/DataStructures.jl
index 5e7ad6f18..923244e6a 100644
--- a/src/DataStructures.jl
+++ b/src/DataStructures.jl
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 module DataStructures
     
-    import Base.length, Base.isempty, Base.start, Base.next, Base.done
-    import Base.show, Base.dump, Base.empty!, Base.getindex
-    import Base.haskey, Base.keys, Base.merge, Base.copy
-    import Base.push!, Base.pop!, Base.shift!, Base.unshift!, Base.add!
-    import Base.union!
+    import Base: length, isempty, start, next, done,
+                 show, dump, empty!, getindex, setindex!, get,
+                 in, haskey, keys, merge, copy,
+                 push!, pop!, shift!, unshift!, add!,
+                 union!, delete!, similar, sizehint
     
     export Deque, Stack, Queue
     export deque, stack, queue, enqueue!, dequeue!, update!
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ module DataStructures
     export AbstractHeap, compare, extract_all!
     export BinaryHeap, binary_minheap, binary_maxheap
     export MutableBinaryHeap, mutable_binary_minheap, mutable_binary_maxheap
+
+    export DefaultDict
     
     include("deque.jl") 
     include("stack.jl")   
@@ -27,4 +29,5 @@ module DataStructures
     include("classifiedcollections.jl")
     include("disjoint_set.jl")
     include("heaps.jl")
+    include("defaultdict.jl")
 end
diff --git a/src/defaultdict.jl b/src/defaultdict.jl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..746d413e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/defaultdict.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+# Dictionary which returns (and sets) a default value for a requested item not
+# already in to the dictionary
+
+immutable DefaultDict{K,V,F,D<:Associative} <: Associative{K,V}
+    default::F
+    d::D
+
+    DefaultDict(x::F, kv::AbstractArray{(K,V)}) = new(x, D{K,V}(kv))
+    DefaultDict(x::F, d::DefaultDict) = DefaultDict(x, d.d)
+    DefaultDict(x::F, d::D=D{K,V}()) = new(x, d)
+    DefaultDict(x, ks, vs) = new(x, D{K,V}(ks,vs))
+end
+
+DefaultDict() = error("DefaultDict: no default specified")
+DefaultDict(k,v) = error("DefaultDict: no default specified")
+
+# TODO: these mimic similar Dict constructors, but may not be needed
+DefaultDict{K,V,F}(default::F, ks::AbstractArray{K}, vs::AbstractArray{V}) = DefaultDict{K,V,F,Dict}(default,ks,vs)
+DefaultDict{F}(default::F,ks,vs) = DefaultDict{Any,Any,F,Dict}(default, ks, vs)
+
+# syntax entry points
+DefaultDict{F}(default::F) = DefaultDict{Any,Any,F,Dict}(default)
+DefaultDict{K,V,F}(::Type{K}, ::Type{V}, default::F) = DefaultDict{K,V,F,Dict}(default)
+DefaultDict{K,V,F}(default::F, kv::AbstractArray{(K,V)}) = DefaultDict{K,V,F,Dict}(default, kv)
+DefaultDict{F,D<:Associative}(default::F, d::D) = ((K,V)=eltype(d); DefaultDict{K,V,F,D}(default, d))
+
+similar{K,V,F,D}(d::DefaultDict{K,V,F,D}) = DefaultDict{K,V,F,D}()
+
+sizehint(d::DefaultDict) = sizehint(d.d)
+empty!(d::DefaultDict) = empty!(d.d)
+setindex!(d::DefaultDict, v, k) = setindex!(d.d, v, k)
+
+# Note that getindex depends on the particular implementation of Dict in Base.
+# If the Dict implementation changes, this may break.
+# Also note that we hash twice here if the key is not in the dictionary: once
+# when retrieving, and once when assigning.
+function getindex{K,V,F<:Base.Callable}(d::DefaultDict{K,V,F}, key)
+    index = Base.ht_keyindex(d.d, key)
+    if index < 0
+        d.d[key] = ret = convert(V, d.default())
+        return ret::V
+    end
+    return d.d.vals[index]::V
+end
+
+function getindex{K,V}(d::DefaultDict{K,V}, key)
+    index = Base.ht_keyindex(d.d, key)
+    if index < 0
+        d.d[key] = ret = convert(V, d.default)
+        return ret::V
+    end
+    return d.d.vals[index]::V
+end
+
+get(d::DefaultDict, key, deflt) = get(d.d, key, deflt)
+
+haskey(d::DefaultDict, key) = haskey(d.d, key)
+in{T<:DefaultDict}(key, v::Base.KeyIterator{T}) = key in keys(v.dict.d)
+getkey(d::DefaultDict, key, deflt) = getkey(d.d, key, deflt)
+
+pop!(d::DefaultDict, key) = pop!(d.d, key)
+delete!(d::DefaultDict, key) = delete!(d.d, key)
+
+start(d::DefaultDict) = start(d.d)
+done(d::DefaultDict, i) = done(d.d,i)
+next(d::DefaultDict, i) = next(d.d,i)
+
+isempty(d::DefaultDict) = isempty(d.d)
+length(d::DefaultDict) = length(d.d)
+
+next{T<:DefaultDict}(v::Base.KeyIterator{T}, i) = (v.dict.d.keys[i], Base.skip_deleted(v.dict.d,i+1))
+next{T<:DefaultDict}(v::Base.ValueIterator{T}, i) = (v.dict.d.vals[i], Base.skip_deleted(v.dict.d,i+1))
+
diff --git a/test/test_defaultdict.jl b/test/test_defaultdict.jl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eb272b21c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_defaultdict.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+using DataStructures
+using Base.Test
+
+# construction
+@test_throws DefaultDict()
+@test_throws DefaultDict(String, Int)
+
+# empty dictionary
+d = DefaultDict(Char, Int, 1)
+@test length(d) == 0
+@test isempty(d)
+@test d['c'] == 1
+@test !isempty(d)
+empty!(d)
+@test isempty(d)
+
+# access, modification
+@test (d['a'] += 1) == 2
+@test 'a' in keys(d)
+@test haskey(d, 'a')
+@test get(d, 'b', 0) == 0
+@test !('b' in keys(d))
+@test !haskey(d, 'b')
+@test pop!(d, 'a') == 2
+@test isempty(d)
+
+for c in 'a':'z'
+    d[c] = c-'a'+1
+end
+
+@test d['z'] == 26
+@test d['@'] == 1
+@test length(d) == 27
+delete!(d, '@')
+@test length(d) == 26
+
+for (k,v) in d
+    @test v == k-'a'+1
+end
+
+@test sort(collect(keys(d))) == ['a':'z']
+@test sort(collect(values(d))) == [1:26]
+
+# Starting from an existing dictionary
+e = ['a'=>1, 'b'=>3, 'c'=>5]
+f = DefaultDict(0, e)
+@test_throws e['d']
+@test f['d'] == 0
+f['e'] = 9
+@test e['d'] == 0
+@test e['e'] == 9