A biographical dictionary which profiles over 30,000 individuals, including birth and death dates, major accomplishments, and historical influence.

“We think of English as a fortress to be defended, but a better analogy is to think of English as a child. We love and nurture it into being, and once it gains gross motor skills, it starts going exactly where we don’t want it to go: it heads right for the goddamned electrical sockets.” With wit and irreverence, lexicographer Kory Stamper cracks open the obsessive world of dictionary writing, from the agonizing decisions about what to define and how to do it to the knotty questions of ever-changing word usage. Filled with fun facts—for example, the first documented usage of “OMG” was in a letter to Winston Churchill—and Stamper’s own stories from the linguistic front lines (including how she became America’s foremost “irregardless” apologist, despite loathing the word), Word by Word is an endlessly entertaining look at the wonderful complexities and eccentricities of the English language.

"Provides definitions, pronunciations, etymologies, part of speech designations, and other appropriate information. Intended for use by students in grades nine to eleven"--

Describes the life and times of the man made famous for writing the first dictionary of the English language.

Webster's New World College Dictionary is a favorite of newsrooms and copyeditors nationwide, and it is the official dictionary of The Associated Press Stylebook.This dictionary features a clear and accessible defining style, abundant synonym notes, full-page tables and charts, hundreds of drawings that complement the definitions, and authoritative guidance on usage and style points. It also includes extensive coverage of Americanisms (words, phrases, and senses coined by an American or first used in the United States). It has added nearly 5,000 new entries, including terms from the areas of arts and sports, science and medicine, computers and the Internet, food, business, politics, and law. Tens of thousands of revisions have been made to existing senses, to bring them up-to-date and to reflect current usage. A reference supplement includes: Rules of punctuation, Roman numerals, Calendars, Monetary units, Currency symbols, Names for large number, Books of the Bible, Meteorological data, Commonly used weights and measures, Planets of the solar system, Geologic time scale, and Periodic table of the elements.

The ideal book for people who want to increase their word power. Thorough coverage of 1,200 words and 240 roots while introducing 2,300 words. The Vocabulary Builder is organized by Greek and Latin roots for effective study with nearly 250 new words and roots. Includes quizzes after each root discussion to test progress. A great study aid for students preparing to take standardized tests.