This dictionary gives the intriguing origins of hundreds of everyday words and expressions. Useful for reference and fun just for browsing, Dictionary of Word O

Contains alphabetically arranged entries that explore the origin, evolution, and social history of over three thousand English language words.

The average contemporary English speaker knows 50,000 words. Yet stripped down to its origins, this apparently huge vocabulary is in reality much smaller, deriv

This extensive reference volume presents the etymological history of thousands of English words. The story of how words come to be is the story of how humans th

Uncover the hidden and often surprising connection between words. Written in a clear and informative style, the more than 8,000 articles reveal the origins of a