Webster's New Explorer Dictionary of Word Origins
Merriam-Webster, Incorporated is America's oldest and most respected publisher of dictionaries and other language reference products. Our staff of full-time lexicographers is the largest in the country and our database of more than 16.5 million examples of words used in context is the most extensive in the world. With more than 170 years of accumulated knowledge and expertise this distinguished company represents a tradition that dates back to Noah Webster.