Product Description

This hardcover version of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, is jacketed, has a navy kivar binding, and is plain-edged (no thumb indexing). For this new edition, America's largest staff of lexicographers made more than 100,000 changes and added more than 10,000 new words and senses, such as 'convergence', 'Frankenfood', 'phat', 'psyops, and 'vermiculture'. The Eleventh Edition also features over 40,000 usage examples - more than ever before - which clarify confused or disputed terms. Additionally, thousands of phrases and idioms help distinguish vocabulary for language learners. Special sections include A Handbook of Style, An Essay on the English Language, and Signs and Symbols. Over 55 million copies of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary have been sold, spanning a time period of over 100 years.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1523 in Books
• Brand: MERRIAM - WEBSTER INC.
• Published on: 2003-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.00 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1664 pages

Review

-Sets a high standard for future desk reference.--Library Journal

--A road map to where English is headed-- The Village Voice

--At last-the ease of the Internet combined with the authority of a trusted name in reference.--BookPage

--Firmly established as America-s best-selling dictionary--Copy Editor

--An absolutely first-rate, easy-to-use and high-quality basic resource--Midwest Book Review-

About the Author

The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Webster's son William also served as an editor of that first Merriam-Webster dictionary, which was published on September 24, 1847.

Although Webster's work was honored, his big dictionaries had never sold well. The 1828 edition was priced at a whopping $20; in 13 years its 2,500 copies had not sold out. Similarly, the 1841 edition, only slightly more affordable at $15, moved slowly. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.

The first Merriam-Webster dictionary was greeted with wide acclaim. President James K. Polk, General Zachary Taylor (hero of the Mexican War and later president himself), 31 U.S. senators, and other prominent people hailed it unreservedly. In 1850 its acceptance as a resource for students began when Massachusetts ordered a copy for every school and New York placed a similar order for 10,000 copies to be used in schools throughout the state. Eventually school use would spread throughout the country. In becoming America's most trusted authority on the English language, Merriam-Webster dictionaries had taken on a role of public responsibility demanded of few other publishing companies. 

Customer Reviews

superb reference tool
This is a fine dictionary. It even smells good. Too hefty to be portable, it is nevertheless a perfect desk dictionary, starting with a seventeen-page explanatory chart and notes, an essay on the English language, and a guide to pronunciation. te volume continues with excellent definitions that are sometimes accompanied by b&w line drawings, and finishes with sections on foreign words & phrases, biographical names, geographical names, signs & symbols in various fields of endeavo, punctuation, capitals & italics, documenting sources, forms of address and an index. [..]

This is the most comprehensive collegiate dictionary to date, with many new entries since 1996's tenth edition, and it is well organized wih a nice clean font (though it may be a bit troublesome for those who are far-sighted). It always amazes me that we can purchase so much information so inexpensively. This is a terrific resource -- it's time to update your dictionary!!

Great Reference
Great reference and one that I keep on my shelf, next to "The Chicago Manual of Style" (15th edition) and "Gramatically Correct". Although the Scrabble world is still stuck on the 10th edition, that will likely change soon. Great coverage of definitions in addition to grammar and many other references. For college level and above, probably the one to buy.

Good, but...
I thought this dictionary was decent and served most of its purposes. The problem with purchasing it over the Internet, though, was that I didn't know if it had all of the features I needed.

Therefore, while it is good and has a great many words with concise definitions, the plurals of the words are not listed. I was astonished by this, since I'd never seen a dictionary before that didn't list the plurals! Of course, this was one of the things I needed in a dictionary in order to help me in my grammar class. So while I have a nice dictionary, I am still shocked about the lack of plurals!

So be forewarned if you are considering this dictionary that if you need plural forms of words, you will not find them in this book!