The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology

Description

With the assistance of G. W. S. Friedrichsen and R. W. Burchfield. — Oxford University Press, 1983. — 1039 p. First published 1966 Reprinted 1966 Reprinted 1967 (with corrections), 1969 (with corrections) 1974, 1978, /979, 1982 (twice), 1983. This text is the most complete and the most reliable etymological dictionary of the English language ever published. There are some 24,000 main entries, and with the derivatives, the total number of words treated is more than 38,000. Each word is accompanied by its pronunciation, its present-day meaning, the date of its first record in English and the chronology of the development of its sense/s, and its earliest form in written English. The principal Germanic cognates are presented, and also the relevant forms from other languages in so far as they help to explain the etymology of English words. It has become standard for scholars and all those who interested in the history of English words will find this book a standard source of verified information.