An invaluable guide to the fascinating origins of everyday words crafted into pithy annecdotes and facts.

This perfect gift for readers, writers, and literature majors alike unearths the quirks of the English language. For example, do you know why a mortgage is lite

Written in a funny, charming, and conversational style, Word Origins is the first book to offer a thorough investigation of the history and the science of etymo

Words are everywhere. But do you know where your favorite words come from? Maybe they plop to the ground from high up in the sky! Or maybe workers piece them to

The Oxford English Dictionary is the internationally recognized authority on the evolution of the English language from 1150 to the present day. The Dictionary