Little Oxford Dictionary Of Word Origins

The Little Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins includes 1,000 word histories arranged by theme, from food to phobias, and from universe to love. Featuring words with interesting or surprising origins, including dates of origin and an account of each word's derivation, it is an irresistible collection and the perfect gift for word lovers.

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

An absorbing A-Z which explores the origins and development of over 3,000 words in the English language. Drawing on Oxford's unrivalled dictionary research programme and language monitoring it brings to light the intriguing and often unusual stories of some of our most used words and phrases.

Trialled and tested in schoolsFor the first time a comprehensive dictionary of word origins will be available for all school students.Each headword entry gives a complete and fascinating story about how a particular word came into the English language and evolved over time. In addition, each headword entry includes meanings and how each word is used in context.It also includes 40 extended panels covering a range of themes like:* Other languages which gave vocabulary to the English language form Arabic and Australian-Aboriginal to Urdu and Yiddish* Acronyms (AIDS, NATO), eponyms (Wellingtons), invented words (nylon, spoof), shortened words (photo, exam), blends (motor and hotel became motel) and folk etymology* Subjects students are interested in, ranging from food and drink, animals, sports, space, to first names and illnesses

An absorbing A-Z which explores the origins and development of over 3,000 words in the English language. Drawing on Oxford's unrivalled dictionary research programme and language monitoring it brings to light the intriguing and often unusual stories of some of our most used words and phrases.

From Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde to Fidel Castro and Dolly Parton, the Little Oxford Dictionary of Quotations features 4,000 of the best quotations of past and present. Packed with quotable quotes on over 300 themes from 'Parties' to 'Punctuality', and from 'Apology' to 'Toasts', this is the ideal tool for finding exactly the right words to express yourself in any situation. Its perfect complement is the Little Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, which includes fascinating information on 2,000 proverbs and sayings from around the world and across 250 subjects--from 'Cats' and 'Dogs' to 'Achievement' and 'Extravagance'. For the first time included in the Gift Box is the Little Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, offering 1,000 word histories arranged by theme, from food to phobias, and from universe to love. Between them, these three charming little books will have the perfect words for whatever you want to say.

The Oxford English Dictionary is the internationally recognized authority on the evolution of the English language from 1150 to the present day. The Dictionary defines over 500,000 words, making it an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, pronunciation, and history of the English language. This new upgrade version of The Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM offers unparalleled access to the world's most important reference work for the English language. The text of this version has been augmented with the inclusion of the Oxford English Dictionary Additions Series (Volumes 1-3), published in 1993 and 1997, the Bibliography to the Second Edition, and other ancillary material. System requirements: PC with minimum 200 MHz Pentium-class processor; 32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended); 16-speed CD-ROM drive (32-speed recommended); Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 200, or XP (Local administrator rights are required to install and open the OED for the first time on a PC running Windows NT 4 and to install and run the OED on Windows 2000 and XP); 1.1 GB hard disk space to run the OED from the CD-ROM and 1.7 GB to install the CD-ROM to the hard disk: SVGA monitor: 800 x 600 pixels: 16-bit (64k, high color) setting recommended. Please note: for the upgrade, installation requires the use of the OED CD-ROM v2.0.