Synopses & Reviews
The all-new Fourth Edition of the
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language offers more information about the language, in a more accessible format, than any other dictionary in its class. And its elegant, inviting design makes it the most handsome reference book on the market. Over 10,000 new words and senses. From slang and popular culture to the latest medical, high-tech, and scientific terms, the Fourth Edition's vocabulary has been thoroughly updated to reflect our constantly changing language. Fresh, full-color design. Over 4,000 full-color photographs, drawings, and maps enhance the Fourth Edition's definitions and make browsing irresistible. Trustworthy usage guidance.
The American Heritage Dictionary has distinguished itself for decades by offering clear and comprehensive usage guidance. Hundreds of new and updated Usage Notes, based on the results of surveys sent to the more than 200 scholars and writers who comprise our Usage Panel, help you make informed decisions about usage questions you face every day. More in-depth note features than any other dictionary. Word Histories, Synonym Paragraphs, and Regional Notes explore the language in a breadth and depth unequaled by any other dictionary. All-new Our Living Language Notes. A fascinating new series of Notes illustrates how social factors such as age and ethnicity influence the way our language is shaped by speakers from all walks of life. Unrivaled biographies and geographies.
The American Heritage® Dictionary has long been known for its expansive treatment of biographical and geographical entries. These informative capsule summaries have been thoroughly updated for the Fourth Edition. Two unique Appendixes. Discover the hidden connections between words in the newly expanded Appendix of Indo-European Roots and in the all-new Appendix of Semitic Roots. The Fourth Edition offers you the most thorough and intriguing view of the history of words to be found in any dictionary.
Order now and get a $5 rebate from the publisher!
Send proof-of-purchase receipt dated between 1/15/01 and 12/31/01, along with your name and address to: Harte-Hanks, Houghton Mifflin Refund Program, 400 Benigno Blvd., Bellmawr, NJ 08031-2510. Proof-of-purchase must be postmarked by 12/31/01 to receive a $5 rebate.
Review
"I want to break my record of never plugging anything by telling you that I spent three hours reading it and saying its's great." Andy Rooney
Review
"This dictionary will impress...with its simple and clear definitions, its entirely redone illustrations and its fascinating 'Word History' and regional notes...its approach to usage gives its more than 2,000 pages their special character." The Wall Street Journal
Synopsis
Discover the richness of the English language in ways you never have before, with The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, available in a book and CD-ROM package.
The all-new, full color Fourth Edition includes:
· over 10,000 new words and senses
· 4,000 photographs, illustrations, and maps
· full etymologies
· a revised Appendix of Indo-European Roots
· an all-new Appendix of Semitic Roots
· over 450 new and revised Usage Notes
· 100 Regional Notes
· a new Note feature: Our Living Language
The CD-ROM combines the innovation of the Fourth Edition print dictionary with the ease and accessibility of an electronic format. Features of the CD-ROM include:
· Over 1,000 color photographs, illustrations, and maps from the print edition
· Nearly 70,000 spoken pronunciations
· Definitions and usage information can be obtained instantly by highlighting and right-clicking on words in any Microsoft Office application
· A simple search feature finds the word you want, even if you don't know how to spell it
· Separately searchable indexes of all images and note features
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language will meet all your dictionary needs-whether at work, at school, or at home.
Minimal System Requirements
· PC with Pentium® 200 or higher processor
· Windows® 95, Windows® 98, Windows NT®, or Windows® 2000
· 32 megabytes of RAM
· Hard disk with at least 20 megabytes of free space
· CD-ROM drive (or DVD-ROM drive)
· Multimedia system with Microsoft Media Player for sound
· SVGA 800 x 600 or higher resolution monitor
· Mouse and Keyboard
Synopsis
This newly updated edition of Americas favorite dictionary features revised biographical and geographical entries as well as up-to-date charts and tables for topics such as world currencies and chemical elements. Among the 500 entries new to this update are Amber Alert, blogosphere, gravitino, halo effect, hawala, lycopene, malware, micropolis, proteome, Qi Gong, SARS, shout-out, speed dating, sudoku, Texas holdem, text message, and wiki.
The renowned American Heritage® Usage Panel, a group of more than 200 distinguished writers, scholars, and scientists, offers advice on problems of grammar and style; engaging notes explain word histories and clarify differences among synonyms; thousands of quotations and example sentences show words in context; and elegant definitions are enhanced by 4,000 full-color photographs, drawings, and maps, making this one of the most readable dictionaries available anywhere.
This dictionary can also be purchased with a fully loadable Windows® / Mac® CD-ROM that contains the entire text of the updated Fourth Edition, 68,000 audio pronunciations, 1,000 full-color photographs and illustrations, and a college-level thesaurus with more than 260,000 synonyms. The CD-ROM has spell-check capability and can be used in conjunction with any Microsoft® Office application to get definitions at the click of a mouse.
About the Author
The Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries and of other reference titles published by Houghton Mifflin Company are trained lexicographers with a varied array of interests and expertise. Most of the editors hold graduate degrees and have studied at least one foreign language. Several have degrees in linguistics or in the history of the English language. Others have degrees in science or sometimes other disciplines. All the editors familiarize themselves with the vocabulary in specific subject areas, collect materials on new developments and usage, and work in association with consultants to ensure that the content of our publications is as accurate and as up-to-date as possible.