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Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language
David B. Guralnik, Editor-in-Chief, Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second College Edition, hardcover
1692 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1976
About the author
David Bernard Guralnik
17 books3 followersDavid B. Guralnik (1921-2000) was a leading lexicographer, Yiddishist, and editor of Webster's dictionaries.
As editor in chief of Webster's New World line of dictionaries from 1948 to 1985, when he retired, he supervised works that carried his view of American English around the world. As a gatekeeper for words seeking admission to the literary mainstream, Mr. Guralnik wrote many of the new definitions himself. He took the title of editor in chief emeritus after he retired, and was a vice president of Simon & Schuster, now the dictionaries' publisher. His name recurred frequently as an arbiter in William Safire's ''On Language'' column in The New York Times Magazine.
As editor in chief of Webster's New World line of dictionaries from 1948 to 1985, when he retired, he supervised works that carried his view of American English around the world. As a gatekeeper for words seeking admission to the literary mainstream, Mr. Guralnik wrote many of the new definitions himself. He took the title of editor in chief emeritus after he retired, and was a vice president of Simon & Schuster, now the dictionaries' publisher. His name recurred frequently as an arbiter in William Safire's ''On Language'' column in The New York Times Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 8, 2014
A Christmas present from my parents, I used the hell out of this dictionary for years, until it no longer became necessary to use a hardcover dictionary. But now I can release it into the wild.
August 9, 2026
There was a time when having a dictionary in the house wasn't unusual—it was almost expected.
I remember the nostalgia of having a dictionary on each floor, ready whenever a word needed to be looked up, a spelling needed checking, or curiosity simply got the better of you.
And somehow, there was something special about reaching for a real dictionary.
📖 Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English, Third College Edition is more than a reference book to me. It represents a time when learning often meant physically opening a book, searching through the alphabet, and allowing yourself to discover words you weren't even looking for.
That is one of the beautiful benefits of a dictionary.
You don't just find the word you need—you often stumble across another word, another definition, another expression, or a fascinating piece of language along the way.
✨ A dictionary teaches more than vocabulary. It teaches curiosity.
It helps us understand:
🔹 Spelling — giving us a reliable reference when we're unsure how a word is written.
🔹 Definitions — helping us understand not just what a word means, but the different ways it can be used.
🔹 Vocabulary — introducing us to words we may never have encountered otherwise.
🔹 Pronunciation — helping us learn how unfamiliar words are spoken.
🔹 Language — showing us how rich, complicated, and constantly evolving English can be.
🔹 Writing — giving us better tools to express exactly what we're trying to say.
🔹 Independent learning — encouraging us to look something up rather than simply accepting that we don't know.
And perhaps most importantly, a dictionary reminds us that words matter.
Words give us the ability to communicate ideas, describe emotions, tell stories, preserve history, ask questions, and understand one another.
There is also something wonderfully nostalgic about the physical experience of using a dictionary.
The weight of the book.
The sound of the pages turning.
Running your finger down the page searching alphabetically.
Finding the word—and then discovering three more words you didn't know.
Before smartphones and instant searches, this was one of the ways we learned.
Today, we can type a word into a search bar and have an answer in seconds. That convenience is wonderful, but I sometimes miss the slower process of looking something up in a book.
A dictionary encouraged you to linger.
It encouraged you to explore.
It made learning feel like an adventure.
📚 Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English, Third College Edition is a beautiful reminder that books aren't only vessels for stories. Some books are tools for discovering the world itself.
And honestly?
I still love the idea of having a dictionary within reach on every floor of the house. ❤️
Because you never know when curiosity will strike.
✨ A word is small.
A definition may be only a sentence.
But language opens entire worlds.
📖 Some books tell us stories. A dictionary gives us the words to tell our own.
#WebstersDictionary #WebstersNewWorldDictionary #MerriamWebster #Dictionary #BookNostalgia #Bookstagram #BookLover #BookishNostalgia #ReadingNostalgia #OldBooks #VintageBooks #ReferenceBooks #BooksAreKnowledge #KnowledgeIsPower #LanguageMatters #WordsMatter #Vocabulary #BookCollection #ReadersOfInstagram #Goodreads #BookRecommendation #BookPhotography #Nostalgia #ReadingLife #LifelongLearnin
I remember the nostalgia of having a dictionary on each floor, ready whenever a word needed to be looked up, a spelling needed checking, or curiosity simply got the better of you.
And somehow, there was something special about reaching for a real dictionary.
📖 Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English, Third College Edition is more than a reference book to me. It represents a time when learning often meant physically opening a book, searching through the alphabet, and allowing yourself to discover words you weren't even looking for.
That is one of the beautiful benefits of a dictionary.
You don't just find the word you need—you often stumble across another word, another definition, another expression, or a fascinating piece of language along the way.
✨ A dictionary teaches more than vocabulary. It teaches curiosity.
It helps us understand:
🔹 Spelling — giving us a reliable reference when we're unsure how a word is written.
🔹 Definitions — helping us understand not just what a word means, but the different ways it can be used.
🔹 Vocabulary — introducing us to words we may never have encountered otherwise.
🔹 Pronunciation — helping us learn how unfamiliar words are spoken.
🔹 Language — showing us how rich, complicated, and constantly evolving English can be.
🔹 Writing — giving us better tools to express exactly what we're trying to say.
🔹 Independent learning — encouraging us to look something up rather than simply accepting that we don't know.
And perhaps most importantly, a dictionary reminds us that words matter.
Words give us the ability to communicate ideas, describe emotions, tell stories, preserve history, ask questions, and understand one another.
There is also something wonderfully nostalgic about the physical experience of using a dictionary.
The weight of the book.
The sound of the pages turning.
Running your finger down the page searching alphabetically.
Finding the word—and then discovering three more words you didn't know.
Before smartphones and instant searches, this was one of the ways we learned.
Today, we can type a word into a search bar and have an answer in seconds. That convenience is wonderful, but I sometimes miss the slower process of looking something up in a book.
A dictionary encouraged you to linger.
It encouraged you to explore.
It made learning feel like an adventure.
📚 Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English, Third College Edition is a beautiful reminder that books aren't only vessels for stories. Some books are tools for discovering the world itself.
And honestly?
I still love the idea of having a dictionary within reach on every floor of the house. ❤️
Because you never know when curiosity will strike.
✨ A word is small.
A definition may be only a sentence.
But language opens entire worlds.
📖 Some books tell us stories. A dictionary gives us the words to tell our own.
#WebstersDictionary #WebstersNewWorldDictionary #MerriamWebster #Dictionary #BookNostalgia #Bookstagram #BookLover #BookishNostalgia #ReadingNostalgia #OldBooks #VintageBooks #ReferenceBooks #BooksAreKnowledge #KnowledgeIsPower #LanguageMatters #WordsMatter #Vocabulary #BookCollection #ReadersOfInstagram #Goodreads #BookRecommendation #BookPhotography #Nostalgia #ReadingLife #LifelongLearnin
April 10, 2012
This was my every day dictionary before I began researching dictionaries. I am a Merriam Webster fan. I think I purchased this originally thinking it was M-W given the Webster name in the title. Yeah, live and learn.
For an every day dictionary, this is fine. No glaring errors. I believe I loaned this to my mother for a while before reclaiming it.
For an every day dictionary, this is fine. No glaring errors. I believe I loaned this to my mother for a while before reclaiming it.
Currently Reading
August 24, 2010I learned a lot from this book...
November 24, 2010
My first dictionary, purchased in my first semester of college. I probably need a new one.
October 4, 2015
Well, when I say I read it, I mean I use it! I'm more online now, but I still look up words the old school way sometimes.
November 16, 2015
It's an old version of a dictionary that used to belong to my uncle and mother. That's what those ol' five stars are for.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews