Provides the origins and history behind thousands of everyday English words. Includes detailed explanations of the context in which each word was originally used.

New edition! A handy, reliable, and authoritative dictionary of words most frequently used in Englis. More than 75,000 definitions, 2,000 new word entries, and more than 150 illustrations. Expanded special features include a Handbook of Style, Basic English Grammar, Irregular English Verbs and a Guid eto Common Verb Collocations (both essential for ESL), and a new Overview of the Internet.

A handy guide to problems of confused or disputed usage based on the critically acclaimed Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage. Over 2,000 entries explain the background and basis of usage controversies and offer expert advice and recommendations.

A gold mine of word histories for reference or browsing. Covers the origins of 1,500 words. Over 600 engagingly written articles. Explore the stories behind our vocabulary.

Where do words come from?—Teaching kids ages 9 to 12 vocabulary through word origins The English language is made up of words from different places, events, and periods of time. Each of those words has an exciting story to tell us about where, when, how, and why they came about. Once Upon a Word is packed with easy-to-understand definitions and awesome word origin stories. With this dictionary for kids, you can understand the history and meaning of English words, improve your vocabulary and spelling, and learn to play with language. Explore how weird words like gnome, fun words like zombie, and common words like caterpillar came to exist. Discover why some words sound funnier than others (like cackle, sizzle, and twang) and why some groups of words start with the same few letters (like hydrate, hydrogen, and fire hydrant). In this dictionary for kids, there's a whole world of English words to uncover! This unique dictionary for kids includes: Roots & branches—Learn about the building blocks that make up words, called roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Kid-friendly definitions—Look up definitions designed for your reading level in this dictionary for kids. Word tidbits—Find out where your favorite food words got their start, from bacon to marshmallow, spaghetti, yogurt, and beyond. See how the English language evolved with this colorful dictionary for kids.