As all lovers of language know, words are the source of our very understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Often, however, our use of language is so a

Contains over 30,000 entries with word derivations, spelling, pronunciation, and meanings. Also traces how the meanings have developed over time.

This practical introduction to word history investigates every aspect of where words come from and how they change. Philip Durkin, chief etymologist of the Oxfo