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For each entry, the dictionary provides the correct pronunciation, followed by a short definition, and the century and source of the word's first recording. Then come the etymological notes. Thus one learns that "froth" (an aggregation of small bubbles on liquid) was first noted in the 14th century, in Sir Gawain and the Bible, that it comes from the Old Norse frooa, and was taken from there into German (fraup) and Old English (froth). Now in its fifth printing and a standard reference for scholars, Onions's opus is still the most comprehensive etymological dictionary of English ever to be published. --Stephanie Gold
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Most helpful customer reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oxford is the best - by a whisker.,
By
This review is from: The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology (Hardcover)
Other reviewers claim that the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology is a better book than the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology. I must disagree. I was recently in a bookstore that had both in stock, and I was able to compare the two. Overall, I found the Chambers to be less informative than the Oxford book.Admittedly, I did not have the time to compare a lot of entries, but the few words I did look up showed a pattern that was hard to dismiss. In all of the cases that I saw, the Oxford dictionary included much more of the history of the word and often went back to the Latin root as well as proposing possible alternate developments of the word. The Chambers dictionary, on the other hand, tended to trace a more linear path and often only went as far back as the Old English or Old French root. While the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology is a very clear and concise work..., I feel the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology has a slight advantage in precision and depth. Perhaps (as one reviewer has stated) the Chambers has more entries overall, but I feel this has come at the price of a lack of depth of history behind each entry. The Oxford book may have less entries, but each entry contains all the information anyone would ever need. All in all, I think both books are way ahead of their competitors, but if you want the ultimate in depth, go for the Oxford publication. If you want a good dictionary of etymology at a reasonable price, get the Chambers book.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Look Elsewhere,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology (Hardcover)
Though the Oxford Etymology is an excellent work, it doesn't read well as a dictionary - being essentially a selection of edited etymological notes from the Original OED. The scholarship is dry, and cryptic... To appreciate this contrast, take a look at the Barnhart Etymology Dictionary, recently re-released as the Chamber's Dictionary of Etymology - with at least three times the material in terms of etymological research and definitions at less than half the price! What's especially useful for American readers is that the Barnhart / Chambers is drawn almost entirely from American sources and scholarship. IF you're only going to buy one etymology dictionary, get the Chambers - but if you're hooked, then the Oxford is an excellent adjunct to the more exhaustive Chambers/Barnhart, balancing the American scholarship with a decidedly UK English orientation.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Oxford Disctionary of English Etymology,
By F. Javier García (Alicante, Spain) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology (Hardcover)
This book could be useful for a serious etymologyst, but it is very difficult to decifer unless you are willing to spend hours learning all of the abbreviations. It is organized like a dictionary. The entries give the current dictionary definition of each word, and then proceed to trace the evolution of the word. This evolution is often difficult to understand because of the previously mentioned abbreviations. This book is for a dedicated linguist, or someone with much patience and time
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