etymology

Traces the history of more than 15,000 English words and phrases, including slang, proverbs, plant and animal names, place-names, phrases from literature, nicknames, historical expressions, and foreign-language expressions.

Contains the meaning of more than 10,000 popular and traditional names for boys and girls.

A user-friendly introduction to the Latin and Greek roots that have impacted one language. Contains an index of the Greek and Latin roots and an index of the English words examined.

A collection of everyday phrases and idioms that are used in the English language along with their meanings and origins.

Alphabetically arranged entries provide the orgins and meanings of thousands of words and expressions.

Describes the origins of proper nouns that have become common words in the English language such as boycott, gauze, scrooge, and scapegoat.

Examines the origins of thousands of commonly-used English words, revealing how the various influences on the English language have led to unlikely connections between words.

The author examines the meanings behind many of the commonly accepted word-origin myths and folk tales such as "happy as a clam" and attempts to reveal the history behind certain idioms and phrases.