Collins Pocket Reference English Thesaurus

Reference

Patrick Hanks

Foreign Language Study & Reference

HarperCollins, Publishers

Here is the ultimate first name handbook, a delightfully informative, comprehensive survey of over 4,500 European and American names (with two appendices covering the most common Arabic and Indian names). The real charm and value of this reference lies in the wealth of fascinating additional information the authors provide. Under the entry for "Audrey," for example, we learn of the sixth century saint of that name--who died from a neck tumor, divine punishment for her youthful delight in fine necklaces--from whom the word "tawdry" derives: it referred originally to the cheap jewelry sold at fairs in her honor (St. Audrey eventually being compressed into "tawdry"). The authors reveal that the name "Colleen," a very popular name among Irish Americans, is in fact never given as a first name in Ireland; that the name "Wendy" didn't exist until J.M. Barrie invented it for Peter Pan; that "Algernon" originally meant "moustached" and was a nickname among the predominantly clean-shaven Norman French; and that the "th" in our spelling of "Anthony" comes from an erroneous confusion with the Greek word for flower, anthos.       Perhaps more important, this dictionary is an authoritative reference. Indeed, no other handbook provides a fraction of the information found here. Typical entries provide the linguistic and ethnic root of a name. "Jennifer," for instance, is a Cornish form of "Guinevere," which in turn is the French version of a Welsh name combining gwen, white, fair, smooth, and hwyfar, smooth, soft. Most entries also include the non-English form or cognate of a name. The name "Geronimo" is an Italian 0ognate of Jerome, whose Dutch cognate, "Jeroen," the authors point out, was the most popular male name in Holland in 1981.  In addition, entries include diminutives and pet forms.       A companion to the authors' A Dictionary of Surnames, this informative reference offers a goldmine of curious facts to delight browsers of every age as well as a wealth of inspiration for prospective parents. It is an ideal baby shower gift.

Dictionary of First Names

Flavia Hodges

Genealogy

Oxford Paperbacks

Where did your surname come from? Do you know how many people in the United States share it? What does it tell you about your lineage?From the editor of the highly acclaimed Dictionary of Surnames comes the most extensive compilation of surnames in America. The result of 10 years of research and 30 consulting editors, this massive undertaking documents 70,000 surnames of Americans across the country. A reference source like no other, it surveys each surname giving its meaning, nationality, alternate spellings, common forenames associated with it, and the frequency of each surname and forename. The Dictionary of American Family Names is a fascinating journey throughout the multicultural United States, offering a detailed look at the meaning and frequency of surnames throughout the country. For students studying family genealogy, others interested in finding out more about their own lineage, or lexicographers, the Dictionary is an ideal place to begin research.

Dictionary of American Family Names, Volume I (A-F)

Where did your surname come from? Do you know how many people in the United States share it? What does it tell you about your lineage? From the editor of the highly acclaimed Dictionary of Surnames comes the most extensive compilation of surnames in America. The result of 10 years of research and 30 consulting editors, this massive undertaking documents 70,000 surnames of Americans across the country. A reference source like no other, it surveys each surname giving its meaning, nationality, alternate spellings, common forenames associated with it, and the frequency of each surname and forename. The Dictionary of American Family Names is a fascinating journey throughout the multicultural United States, offering a detailed look at the meaning and frequency of surnames throughout the country. For students studying family genealogy, others interested in finding out more about their own lineage, or lexicographers, the Dictionary is an ideal place to begin research.

Dictionary of American Family Names

Dictionaries & Thesauruses

Oxford Univ Pr (Sd)

The New Oxford Dictionary of English reissued with CD-ROM, offers Oxford's ground breaking new dictionary in both print and electronic form. This landmark dictionary on CD-ROM combines the excellence of the dictionary with the advantages of technology, providing an electronic resource that will become invaluable for those wanting instant access to the biggest single-volume dictionary available. The New Oxford Dictionary of English is a landmark in dictionary-making. It represents the most significant development in the description of English since 1884, when the first part of the celebrated twenty-volume Oxford English Dictionary was published. Its dramatically fresh and different approach focuses on English as it is really used, informed by currently available evidence and the latest research. Both print and electronic products offer the most comprehensive coverage of English today with 4 million words of text, including: over 350,000 words, phrases, and definitions over 70,000 examples 12,000 encyclopedic entries 500 usage notes Outstanding features of the text include comprehensive coverage and easy-access design: The defining style gives the clearest and most complete picture of today's English The design separates out parts of speech, word histories, phrases, and derivatives The coverage is authoritative and comprehensive with over 2,000 new words and phrases Modern meanings used by the majority of people appear first Word histories map the change in meanings over the centuries Oxford's worldwide network of language consultants record the language as it is used all around the English-speaking world plus, The Pop-up New Oxford Dictionary of English on CD-ROM offers: New instant lookup from Internet ExplorerRG. The cutting-edge iFinger Pop-up allows you to move your cursor over a word on your Web page and the entry is instantly displayed in a pop-up window Easy searching in WindowsRG. Highlight a word in your WindowsRG application - including e-mail - and with one keystroke you can find the definition No fuss and no waiting. The Dictionary automatically installs on your hard-drive and runs in the background - ready for whenever you need it Can be easily integrated with any of the iFinger bilingual reference resources which are available on CD-ROM from Oxford University Press or from http://www.ifinger.com System requirements PC with 166MHz Pentium-class processor. WindowsRG 95, 98, 200. or NT 4.0. 32Mb RAM. 20Mb free hard disk space. SVGA monitor, displaying 16-bit colour (64K, High colour). CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. Internet ExplorerRG 4.0 or 5.0 (version 5.0 supplied on the enclosed CD-ROM). Internet access (this is required to validate and register your CD-ROM). Minimum 56K modem (required to connect to the iFinger web site to purchase other titles and to download software upgrades).

The New Oxford Dictionary of English

Oxford University Press

Diamond English Dictionary

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