The Cassell dictionary of word histories.
Contributors: Room, Adrian.
Publisher: Cassell; Distributed in the U.S. by Sterling Pub. Co.; Orion Publishing Group, Limited
Published: 1999
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 690
Subjects: English language -- Etymology -- Dictionaries.
Genres: Dictionaries.
Other titles: Dictionary of word histories
Description: "Words grow and develop in many different ways. The whole process is a rich and complex process of borrowing, mutations and influences." "The Cassell Dictionary of Word Histories has been carefully designed to map a path through this labyrinth of sources and connections. Clearly and accessibly arranged, it traces the history and development of thousands of words from the very earliest days of the English language right up to the present moment. Entries show when a particular word first appeared in written English, where it came from and how it was originally formed. They also survey the ways in which the meanings of certain words have altered over time, sometimes dramatically so, as successive generations have found new uses for them."--Jacket.
Notes: "Editor: Adrian Room"--P. [vi].