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This Dictionary is the first etymological dictionary of English imitative (onomato-poeic, mimetic) words. Imitative words (e.g. crash, bang, achoo) are words with iconic correlation between form and meaning, iconicity being a relationship of resemblance. The dictionary provides extensive information on English words of imitative origin and uncovers patterns in their diachronic development. Each entry of the altogether 1320 dictionary entries includes data on pronunciation, part of speech, source of sound, type of imitated sound, iconic word class, date of first attestation, frequency of use, origin, etymology, degree of form-meaning correspondence (stage of de-iconization), as well as a brief account of form and meaning changes. The entries also illustrate the modern usage by typical examples of the word in a sentence (the data were extracted from contemporary dictionaries and corpora of the English language) and references to relevant etymological dictionaries which confirm their imitative status.

Newly updated to incorporate recent additions to the English language, the Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins provides a fascinating exploration of the origins and development of over 3,000 words in the English language. Drawing on Oxford's unrivalled dictionary research programme and language monitoring it brings to light the intriguing and often unusual stories of some of our most used words and phrases. The A-Z entries include the first known use of the term along with examples, related lexes, and expressions which uncover the etymological composition of each word. Also featured are 22 special panels that give overviews of broad topic areas, 5 of which are completely new and that variously cover words from Oceania, word blends, eponyms, and acronyms. New findings in the OED since the previous edition have also been added, including emoji, mansplain, meeple, meme, and spam. An absorbing resource for language students and enthusiasts, but also an intriguing read for any person interested in the development of the English language, and of language development in general. It also includes an extended introduction on the history of the English language.

The origins of a remarkable number of everyday words and phrases are anchored in our seafaring past. Three Sheets to the Wind: The Nautical Origins of Everyday Expressions is an entertaining compilation revealing the maritime roots of common English expressions. The original “slush fund” was the fatty scraps from boiled meat that the ship's cook secretly stashed away to sell at port to candle makers. The man who originally “turned a blind eye” was Admiral Nelson. In one of Naval history's most famous acts of insubordination, Nelson, in the heat of battle, raised his telescope to his blind eye and announced he could not see the signal flag commanding him to break off action. The perfect companion for etymology lovers, factophiles, ocean dreamers, and the conversationally curious, Three Sheets to the Wind features 200 words and expressions that are nautically inspired. Alphabetically organized (from A to Sea) readers can also enjoy 100 original illustrations as well as relevant excerpts from the great novels of Melville, Forester, O'Brian, and others. These passages illustrate how such literary giants reached for these expressions in their classic masterpieces. Our everyday speech is peppered with language used by sailors when someone says they are “pooped” because they stayed to the “bitter end” of “happy hour”.

Excerpt from A Concise Etymological Dictionary of the English Language (Classic Reprint)I do not, in general, give the history Of the use of the word under discussion, unless there is some special point which is necessary to be known for the sake of the etymology. For such history, accompanied by illustrative comments. References, and discussions, I must refer students to the unabridged work.

Horace G. Danner's A Thesaurus of English Word Roots is a compendium of the most-used word roots of the English language. As Timothy B. Noone notes in his foreword: “Dr. Danner's book allows you not only to build up your passive English vocabulary, resulting in word recognition knowledge, but also gives you the rudiments for developing your active English vocabulary, making it possible to infer the meaning of words with which you are not yet acquainted. Your knowledge can now expand and will do so exponentially as your awareness of the roots in English words and your corresponding ability to decode unfamiliar words grows apace. This is the beginning of a fine mental linguistic library: so enjoy!”In A Thesaurus of English Word Roots, all word roots are listed alphabetically, along with the Greek or Latin words from which they derive, together with the roots'original meanings. If the current meaning of an individual root differs from the original meaning, that is listed in a separate column. In the examples column, the words which contain the root are then listed, starting with their prefixes, for example, dysacousia, hyperacousia. These root-starting terms then are followed by terms where the root falls behind the word, e.g., acouesthesia and acoumeter. These words are followed by words where the root falls in the middle or the end, as in such terms as bradyacusia and odynacusis.. In this manner, A Thesaurus of English Word Roots places the word in as many word families as there are elements in the word. This work will interest linguists and philologists and anyone interested in the etymological aspects of English language.

Dr. Horace Gerald Danner's A Thesaurus of Medical Word Roots is a compendium of the most-used word roots of the medical and health-care professions. All word roots are listed alphabetically, along with the Greek or Latin words from which they derive, together with the roots'original meanings. If the current meaning of an individual root differs from the original meaning, that is listed in a separate column. In the examples column, the words which contain the root are then listed, starting with their prefixes. For example, esthesia, which means “feeling,” has as its prefixed roots alloesthesia, anesthesia, and dysesthesia. The listing then switches to words where the root itself forms the beginning, such as esthesiogenesis or esthesioneuroblastoma. These root-starting terms then are followed by words where the root falls in the middle or the end, as in acanthesthesia, cryesthesia, or osmesthesia. In this manner, A Thesaurus of Medical Word Roots places the word in as many word families as there are elements in the word. This work will interest not only medical practitioners but linguists and philologists and anyone interested in the etymological aspects of medical terminology.

Originally published in 1976 by Croom Helm Ltd.

Some are born notorious. Others have notoriety thrust upon them. Few realize that their morning mouthwash bears the name of a life- saving British baron or that their sugary graham crackers would be abhorred by the health-food fanatic who concocted the flavorless original recipe. Throughout history, the proper names of figures both noble and notorious have slipped into the common and uncommon corners of our vocabulary. Tawdry Knickers and Other Unfortunate Ways to Be Remembered details the lamentable lives and legacies of history's most infamous namesakes and the words they inspired: •Henry Shrapnel died of natural causes, despite having invented the shells whose shattering fragments would rain hellfire on soldiers from the Battle of Waterloo through the Vietnam War. •Poor virgin St. Audrey suffered from a bulging neck tumor and the unwanted advances of an unsympathetic husband, but never lived to hear crass vendors eventually hawk her'tawdry'lace. •If New York blueblood Harmen Knickerbocker isn't rolling over in his grave, his nineteenth-century drawers are at least in a twist over having his venerable family name associated with underwear. •Barbara Handler has never been happy about providing the name for the original Barbie, to say nothing of her doll's plastic relationship with Ken-named for her real-life brother. •In contrast to these, dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel avoided the inevitable'merchant of death'epitaph awaiting him by using his enormous explosives fortune to establish the Nobel Prize Foundation. Want to know where your words come from? The surprising, humorous, and often ironic stories behind ninety notable eponyms will take you on an undercover tour of the etymological sausage factory.

In day-to-day speech we use words and phrases without a passing thought as to why we use them or where they come from. Max Cryer changes all that by showing how fascinating the English language really is. Did you know that the former host of Today, Jane Pauley, claims to have coined the term “bad hair day,” or that a CBS engineer named Charley Douglass invented the name and use of “canned laughter” for television, or that “cold turkey” as a term for quitting something immediately was popularized by the novel and movie (starring Frank Sinatra), The Man with the Golden Arm? Here you'll learn the origins of “credibility gap,” “my lips are sealed,” “the opera's not over until the fat lady sings,” “supermarket,” “supermodel,” “there's no accounting for taste,” “thick as thieves,” and hundreds more. For anyone who loves language, this new book will “take the cake.”

Who knew that the great country of Canada is named for a mistake? How about'bedswerver,'the best Elizabethan insult to hurl at a cheating boyfriend? By exploring the delightful back stories of the 250 words in Wordcatcher, readers are lured by language and entangled in etymologies. Author Phil Cousineau takes us on a tour into the obscure territory of word origins with great erudition and endearing curiosity. The English poet W. H. Auden was once asked to teach a poetry class, and when 200 students applied to study with him, he only had room for 20 of them. When asked how he chose his students, he said he picked the ones who actually loved words. So too, with this book — it takes a special wordcatcher to create a treasure chest of remarkable words and their origins, and any word lover will relish the stories that Cousineau has discovered.

Believe it or not, this is probably the first book to attempt to identify the original sources of some of the English language's most common expressions. We might think we know who first said'famous for fifteen minutes','annus horribilis','the cold war'and'let them eat cake'. It's'a no brainer', you might say, but Max Cryer has a surprise or two in store for you.'I kid you not'. In this very readable book, he explores the origins of hundreds of expressions we use and hear every day – and comes up with some surprising findings. Never'economical with the truth', he might just have'the last laugh'. We learn what they didn't say...'We are not amused';'Elementary my dear Watson';'Let them eat cake';'First catch your hare'. We learn that the Bible doesn't mention Salome – or seven veils…. We learn about the origins of the infamous Mile High Club. Written in Max Cryer's delightfully witty style, WHO SAID THAT FIRST? is a wonderful book to dip into or settle a friendly dispute. Remember, good books are'few and far between', and'you get what you pay for'. So buy this book,'go ahead, make my day'. Max Cryer is a writer, entertainer and broadcaster, who hosts a weekly radio slot on Radio Live on the quirks of the English language. In a long career, he has been a schoolteacher, a compere and television host, as well as a performer on the opera stage in London and in cabaret in Las Vegas and Hollywood. Now a full-time writer living in Auckland, he has written many books, including PREPOSTEROUS PROVERBS, CURIOUS ENGLISH WORDS AND PHRASES, LOVE ME TENDER, THE GODZONE DICTIONARY and HEAR OUR VOICES, WE ENTREAT. The inspiration for WHO SAID THAT FIRST? During his years working in Hollywood, Max Cryer became acquainted with Lucille Ball – at the time the world's most popular comedy actress. One day when they were having lunch together, Max complimented her on the amount of pleasure she gave, and Lucille replied: ‘I would be absolutely nothing without the writers. It's all to do with the way things are written – they create the springboard for me.'The remark stayed with Max for years, and he realised it was true. Very often the person who said an effective or memorable line didn't actually create it. As Lucille Ball had said, the person in the background should have the credit – but was usually invisible. This is was what motivated him to seek not just popular expressions – but who had actually originated them.

Did you know that'aardvark'comes from the South African for'earth pig'? Or that'assassin'actually comes from the Arabic for'smoker of hashish'? This book explains why'bungalow'comes from Hindi and what exactly'hello'is short for. It is an invaluable guide to the fascinating origins of everyday words. There are literally tens of thousands of English words with entertaining and engaging stories behind them. Tackling the topic in an anecdotal and yet thorough manner, Fred Sedgwick's pithy, interesting, upbeat and approachable Where Words Come From is the etymological dictionary for everyone, a book to inspire wonder, debate and laughter.

An alphabetically arranged reference contains the definitions and origins of more than 15,000 words and expressions, including slang words, proverbs, nicknames, and phrases from literature.

This work introduces renowned linguistics scholar Anatoly Liberman's comprehensive dictionary and bibliography of the etymology of English words. The English etymological dictionaries published in the past claim to have solved the mysteries of word origins even when those origins have been widely disputed. An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology by contrast, discusses all of the existing derivations of English words and proposes the best one. In the inaugural volume, Liberman addresses fifty-five words traditionally dismissed as being of unknown etymology. Some of the entries are among the most commonly used words in English, including man, boy, girl, bird, brain, understand, key, ever, and yet. Others are slang: mooch, nudge, pimp, filch, gawk, and skedaddle. Many, such as beacon, oat, hemlock, ivy, and toad, have existed for centuries, whereas some have appeared more recently, for example, slang, kitty-corner, and Jeep. They are all united by their etymological obscurity. This unique resource book discusses the main problems in the methodology of etymological research and contains indexes of subjects, names, and all of the root words. Each entry is a full-fledged article, shedding light for the first time on the source of some of the most widely disputed word origins in the English language. “Anatoly Liberman is one of the leading scholars in the field of English etymology. Undoubtedly his work will be an indispensable tool for the ongoing revision of the etymological component of the entries in the Oxford English Dictionary.” —Bernhard Diensberg, OED consultant, French etymologies Anatoly Liberman is professor of Germanic philology at the University of Minnesota. He has published many works, including 16 books, most recently Word Origins... and How We Know Them: Etymology for Everyone.

Noting a marked lack of comprehensiveness and/or contemporaneity among typical reference works on chemical etymology, as well as a somewhat spotty coverage of chemical terms and their etymology in comprehensive dictionaries and textbooks the author decided to write an up-to-date desk reference on chemical etymology which would satisfy the needs of casual readers as well as those of more demanding users of etymological lore. Characteristic user-friendly features of the present work include avoidance of cumbersome abbreviations, avoidance of entries in foreign alphabets, and a broad coverage of all chemical disciplines including mineralogy. Biological, medical, geological, physical and mathematical terms are only considered where they appear of interest to mainstream chemists.This book does not provide definitions of terms (unless required in the etymological context) nor guidance as to the timeliness of different nomenclature systems. The typical user will from the outset be well aware of the exact meaning of the terms he or she focuses on and only require the etymological background to be used. Examples of sources which have been drawn upon in the preparation of this book, apart from the extremely useful Internet resource Google, are listed, but an exhausting enumeration would be tiresome and impractical..• an up-to-date desk reference on chemical etymology• characteristic user-friendly features• broad coverage of all chemical disciplines

The average contemporary English speaker knows 50,000 words. Yet stripped down to its origins, this apparently huge vocabulary is in reality much smaller, derived from Latin, French and the Germanic languages. It is estimated that every year, 800 neologisms are added to the English language: acronyms (nimby), blended words (motel), and those taken from foreign languages (savoir-faire). Laid out in an A-Z format with detailed cross references, and written in a style that is both authoritative and accessible, Word Origins is a valuable historical guide to the English language.

Containing updated editions of the What's in a Word and Why You Say it, this compendium reveals the history of common words and phrases.Are you a lover of language? Awaken your passion for words, and savor the sheer deliciousness of the things people say!Casual Lex holds the hidden pleasures found in our usage of words. This fresh edition of two etymology classics by Webb Garrison will turn you on to the fascinating—and often surprising—stories behind everyday words and phrases. Experience Casual Lex and discover:The phrase hell on wheels comes from the early American practice of renting railway flatcars to create rolling casinos and brothels bound for the Wild West.Gibberish was the word coined by English villagers to describe the hard-to-understand dialects of certain bands of Gypsies.Gymnasium comes from the Greek word gymnos, which means “naked”—Greek athletes trained and competed in the nude.If your joy of language has been aroused, then many more surprises await you. After all, even the most formal users of our language can benefit from a little Casual Lex“A rather good book to have at hand.” —Kirkus Reviews on Why You Say It

Title from ebook title screen (viewed July 28, 2005).

The fictional characters Dracula, Madeline, and Lois Lane were all inspired by real people. There really is a Nathan behind Nathan's hotdogs, a Cliff behind CliffsNotes, and an Anne behind Auntie Anne's, but J. Crew is just a figment of a marketing director's imagination. Monica, Sandra, Rita, and the other girls of'Mambo No. 5'fame are Lou Bega's real-life ex-girlfriends. For those of you who have wondered about these names and those who never thought to, Laura Lee details the stories behind them, and many others, in her new book, The Name's Familiar II.This sequel to her book, The Name's Familiar, contains over 350 entries that tell the origins and originators of words, characters, brand names, and even towns. Elmira, New York, for instance, was named after a rambunctious little girl whose mother was constantly calling her. Neighbors heard her name so much they decided to call the town Elmira. The names explained in this book range from those of contemporary pop culture to ancient legend. Whether it's Smokey the Bear or Julius Caesar, you'll be given new insight that will change the way you look at names forever.

No other nonhuman source has served as the basis for more metaphors than animals. Speaking of Animals is a dictionary of animal metaphors that are current in American English. It is comprehensive, historical, and metaphor-based. Each entry refers to the other dictionaries that catalog that same metaphor, and the dates of first appearance in writing are supplied, where possible, for both the metaphor and the name of the source. The main text is organized alphabetically by metaphor rather than by animal or animal behavior; all the metaphors are classified according to their animal source in a list at the end of the book.An animal metaphor is a word, phrase, or sentence that expresses a resemblance or similarity between someone or something and a particular animal or animal class. True metaphors are single words, such as the noun tiger, the verb hog, and the adjective chicken. Phrasal metaphors combine true metaphors with other words, such as blind tiger, hog the road, and chicken colonel. Other animal metaphors take the form of similes, such as like rats leaving a sinking ship and prickly as a hedgehog. Still others take the form of proverbs, such as Don't count your chickens before they hatch and Let sleeping dogs lie. The horse is the animal most frequently referred to in metaphors, followed closely by the dog. The Bible is the most prolific literary source of animal metaphors, followed closely by Shakespeare.

Whether one reads only newspapers or nothing more serious than a short story or a novel—whatever one reads one is constantly running up against an allusion to the Ancient Classics of Greece and Rome and, in almost every intelligent sentence or statement, one is meeting words that are fully understandable only if one knows something of their Greek or Latin origins.

An alphabetical discussion of words from early English authors, including the most interesting, informative—and revivable—English words that have lapsed from general use. Includes: 1) Words likely to be met in literary reading. Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, the Tudor pamphlets and translations, are richly represented in words and illustrative quotations. The late 18th and early 19th century revival has been culled: Chatterton, Ossian; Percy's Reliques and Child's Ballads; Scott, in his effort to bring picturesque words back into use. In addition, anthologies, for the general reader or the student, have been examined, and works they include combed for forgotten words. 2) Words that belong to the history of early England, describing or illuminating social conditions, political (e.g. feudal) divisions or distinctions, and all the ways of living, of thinking and feeling, in earlier times. Anxiety, for example, is indicated, not in the 99 phobias listed in a psychiatric glossary of the 1950s but in the 120 methods (see areomancy) of determining the future. 3) Words that in various ways have special interest, as in meaning, background, or associated folklore. Included in this group are various imaginary beings, and a number of magic or medicinal plants. 4) Words that are not in the general vocabulary today, but might be usefully and pleasantly revived.