Cassell's Dictionary of Word Histories

by Adrian Room

With over 20,000 words and word elements, ranging from the everyday to the esoteric and from street slang to scientific terminology, this lexicon paints a picture of the diverse and fascinating sources that gave rise to the English language we now speak. For each entry, there's a basic definition, grammatical status, and the term's history proper--when it first appeared in English, its origins, and the history of its development. Trace such words as cathedral and syllable back to the original Latin and Greek; see direct borrowings from foreign languages such as zeitgeist and incubus ; explore the scientific birth of coinages like agoraphobia and titanium ; and enjoy some nonsense inventions, including frabjous and runcible . It's a goldmine of entertainment and enlightenment into the shifting meanings and usages of English.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Language

Paperback

First published March 1, 2000

Reviews

[L Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot.