Product Description

Now in print through its various editions for almost a century, the Concise Oxford English Dictionary is one of the most popular choices in Oxford's renowned dictionary line, selected by decades of users for its up-to-date and authoritative coverage of the English language.
This revised eleventh edition of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary presents the most accurate picture of English today. It contains over 240,000 words, phrases, and definitions, providing superb coverage of contemporary English, including rare, historical, and archaic terms, scientific and technical vocabulary, and English from around the world. The revised edition of the dictionary has been updated with hundreds of new words--including sub-prime, social networking, and carbon footprint--all based on the latest research from the Oxford English Corpus. In addition, the dictionary now features an engaging new center section, with quick-reference word lists (for example, lists of Fascinating Words and Onomatopoeic Words), and a revised and updated English Uncovered supplement, which examines interesting facts about the English language. Sprinkled throughout the text are intriguing Word Histories, detailing the origins and development of numerous words. The volume also retains such popular features as the hundreds of usage notes which give advice on tricky vocabulary and pointers to help you improve your use of English. Finally, the dictionary contains full appendices on topics such as alphabets, currencies, electronic English, and the registers of language (from formal to slang), plus a useful Guide to Good English with advice on grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Authoritative and up to date, the Concise Oxford English Dictionary offers unsurpassed coverage of English, perfect for anyone who needs a handy, reliable resource for home, school, or office.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13024 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1728 pages

Review
A dictionary may not contain narratives and poems, but the best ones, like this one, give you the tools. David Malcolm, Times Literary Supplement This is the dictionary par excellence for the general reader. David Malcolm, Times Literary Supplement It answers a lot of questions; it is easy to use; it does not take up too much space on a crowded desk. David Malcolm, TLS

Customer Reviews

oxford dictionary
This dictionary is just perfect, there is almost no word in it one cannot find, and every word is combined with examples. I have used a lot of dictionaries in my life, but none is better.

Good compromise between size and content
There are many dictionaries in that size available in the market, but few have the same level of detail and conciseness found on this one. The two-volume version of the Oxford dictionary is a better dictionary in terms of number of entries and definitions per entry, but carrying two huge volumes is a major inconvenience.

If you are willing to carry only a compact single volume dictionary, this dictionary is certainly a good choice. This edition has been revised in 2008. The paper in thin, but seems to be capable of resisting tear and wear. The only feature missing is a thumb index.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary
I wanted a dictionary of British English to enhance my enjoyment and understanding of British usage in British lit. and DVDs. An English prof. recommended the Concise OED, so I bought it. It's a subset of the great OED, about the same size as Webster's Collegiate. It has the expected British spellings plus words not in Websters, e.g., "bollocks" and "Sassenach." Some of its descriptions are more complete or specific than Webster's, e.g., "back bencher" and "ha-ha." The type size/legibility is comparable to Webster's. It's a great adjunct to my Webster's for the use I'm making of it.