The Penguin Book of Word Histories

by fred-mcdonald

Compiled by Fred McDonald, this new book traces the origins and explains the meanings of approximately 15,000 words. Words with similar ancestry or semantic development are cross-referenced or subsumed into one entry, making comparisons easier for the reader. There is also a short introduction explaining the book's purpose and layout, and giving a very short account of the English language and the languages that have contributed to it.

Genres: Nonfiction, Language

624 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2010