Dictionary of Word Origins: Histories of More Than 8,000 English-Language Words

I was so impressed with the reviews of the other owners of this book. That I have decided to buy it RIGHT NOW, SIGHT UNSEEN. I will get back to you and add comments when I have finished it, but keep in mind, while I am not a LINGUIST by profession, I have my own field of expertise which involves the hieroglyphic qualities of the alphabet, that is right, the alphabet has been proven by me to be PICTORAL. Stephen Kellogg Brooks, check me out on Amazon.

This is a wonderful book! It is indispensable to students or anyone who reads books that have been written in the past, or for those with a curious nature.

The dictionary is in alphabetical order with stories of how each word came into the English language and has evolved over time.

For example:

Alcohol - Originally, alcohol was a powder, not a liquid. The word comes from Arabic al-kuhul, literally `the kohl'--that is, powdered antimony used as a cosmetic for darkening the eyelids. This was borrowed into English via French or Medieval Latin, and retained this `powder' meaning for some centuries (for instance, `They put between the eyelids and the eye a certain black powder made of a mineral brought from the kingdom of Fez, and called Alcohol,' George Sandys, Travels 1615). But a change was rapidly taking place: from specifically `antimony,' alcohol came to mean any substance obtained by sublimation, and hence `quintessence.' Alcohol of wine was thus the `quintessence of wine,' produced by distillation or rectification, and by the middle of the 18th century alcohol was being used on its own for the intoxicating ingredient in strong liquor. The more precise chemical definition (a compound with a hydroxyl group bound to a hydrocarbon group) developed in the 19th century.

...Then this is the book you want. Outside of the Oxford English Dictionary, it's the best (and least expensive) etymological reference I've come across, even better than The Oxford Dictioary of Word Histories, published by Oxford University Press.

Here's an example of a terrific entry:

PREY Prey comes via Old French prei from Latin praeda 'booty' (from which was derived the word paredari 'plunder', source of English depradation and predatory). This was a contraction of an earlier praeheda, a noun formed with the prefix prae-'before' from the same base (*hed- 'saize', source also of English get) as produced the verb praehendere 'seize'. This has been a rich source of English vocabulary, contributing through different channels such a varied assortment as prehensile, prison, and prize 'something seized in war', not to mention prefixed forms like apprehend, comprehend, comprise, impgregnable, reprehensible, reprieve, and surprise. It is also the ancestor of French prendre 'take'.

Here's the Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories entry for the same word:

PREY [Middle English] Early noun use included the sense 'plunder taken in war' (=that which is 'seized'); it comes from Old French preie, from Latin praeda 'boot'. The verb is from Old French preir, based on Latin praedari 'seize as plunder', from praeda. The verbal phrase prey upon is found from early times.

Both are complete entries, but one is obviously more complete than the other.

Since buying this book I use it continually to get a real conceptual understanding. Its derivations are vastly better than most dictionaries and written in simple English with almost no symbols.

Yesterday I used it to clear the derivation of "manifest" as in "manifestation of the misunderstood word" and the room brightened up. Some other really good derivations were "mandarin" and "daughter".

Recommend it thoroughly as a study and word-clearing tool.

ARC,
Simon

Among the memorable events of my life, is the discovery of etymology. Among the disovery of etymology, is this book. Wow.

Ayto's style is simple, clear, and full of not only the technical details you might like (Indo European roots - Latin/Greek/etc. roots) but I continue to sift through Ayto's work even after consulting mammoth dictionaries such as Chamber's. He has insight, and offers some of the anacdotes that make the history of words so fascinating. Famous examples are Sandwhich, etc. but who knew that 'Alcatraz' is related to Pellicans is related to the Arabic word for 'Buckets' that have sprouts shaped like Pelican beaks?

I quickly run out of breath reading his work as I fing myself so often saying 'Huh!' ... 'Ho!' ... 'Huh?'

I love it.