Dictionary of Word Origins by John Ayto

Dictionary of Word Origins: Histories of More Than 8,000 English-Language Words by John Ayto

Format: Hardcover, 583 pages

Publisher: Arcade Publishing, 1990

ISBN: 1559701331

Condition: Good; Dust jacket chipped and torn on back; Text clear and clean.

Dictionary of Word Origins by John Ayto is an etymological reference book containing more than 8,000 entries that reveal the histories and surprising connections between common English words. This an engaging and informative guide written for a general audience, rather than a purely academic one. The book omits standard dictionary features like pronunciations and, in most cases, definitions, to focus purely on the historical derivation and evolution of words.