Product Description

Produced by Oxford's American Dictionaries Program, and drawing on the expertise of scores of American scholars and advisors, The New Oxford American Dictionary sets the standard of excellence for lexicography in this country.

Here is the most accurate and richly descriptive picture of American English ever offered in any dictionary. Oxford's American editors drew on our 200-million-word databank of contemporary North American English, plus the unrivaled citation files of the world-renowned Oxford English Dictionary.- We started with American evidence -- an unparalleled resource unique to Oxford.- Our staff logged more than 50 editor-years, checking every entry and every definition.- Oxford's ongoing North American Reading Program, begun in the early 1980s, keeps our lexicographers in touch with fresh evidence of our language and usage--in novels and newspapers, in public records and magazines, and on-line, too.

To provide unprecedented clarity, the entries are organized around core meanings, reflecting the way people think about words and eliminating the clutter and confusion of a traditional dictionary entry.- Each entry plainly shows the major meaning or meanings of the word, plus any related senses, arranged in intuitive constellations of connected meanings.- Definitions are supplemented by illustrative, in-context examples of actual usage.

This major new edition of The New Oxford American Dictionary includes a guide to the pronunciations on every page, a new etymology essay by Anatoly Liberman, completely updated and revised maps, and more than a thousand new entries, covering everything new in our language from low-carb to warblog and beyond .

The New Oxford American Dictionary is designed to serve the user clearly, simply, and quickly, with the precise guidance you expect from Oxford University Press.- With in-depth and up-to-date coverage that all users need and expect -- for reading and study, for technical terms, for language guidance -- it continues the tradition of scholarship and lexicographic excellence that are the hallmarks of every Oxford dictionary.

Features:

• 250,000 entries and definitions -- with more than 2,000 new entries in this edition
• The most accurate and richly descriptive picture of American English ever offered in any dictionary
• Provides unprecedented clarity in which the entries are organized around core meanings, reflecting the way people think about words and eliminating the clutter and confusion of a traditional dictionary entry
• Each entry shows the major meaning or meanings of the word, plus any related senses, arranged in intuitive constellations of connected meanings
• Definitions are supplemented by illustrative, in-context examples of actual usage

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21184 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 2096 pages

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Recently there has been publicity about young lexicographers and their work with major American dictionaries. Erin McKean, 34, is the editor of the second edition of The New Oxford American Dictionary (NOAD) and continues the tradition of publishing a well-researched and current source of U.S. English. The first edition, with different editors, was published in 2001. What has changed in four years?

Words, of course, have been added and deleted. There are more than 2,000 new entries. Google and weblog are now in, information superhighway is out. The type appears larger, and a line or two has been added to the brief country histories to bring them up to date. Another addition is the useful feature "The Right Word," which discusses synonyms. An example is the entry for attack, which, in addition to a half-column definition, has another half-column discussing the differences in meanings for the synonyms assault, besiege, charge, molest, and storm, among others. The first edition was criticized for not having a pronunciation key on every page, something the new edition remedies. The lists of U.S. presidents and states, tables of weights and measures, and most other features of the ready-reference section remain, but the lists of members of selected halls of fames have been dropped in favor of a "Language Guide," which includes commonly misspelled words and redundant expressions.

Definitions continue to be organized around the "core" meanings--that is, "the one that represents the most literal use that the word has in ordinary modern American usage." Similar to other current dictionaries, biographical, proper, and place-names are included--al Qaeda; Botox; 9/11; Rice, Condoleezza; Splenda; and Sunni Triangle are new additions to NOAD. Black-and-white photographs and line drawings are still interspersed in the text, with the entry for novelist Nadine Gordimer now having a photo. Julia Child's and Ronald Reagan's deaths in 2004 are noted.

NOAD is more current than its closest rival in size, the fourth edition of the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000). For any library that did not purchase the first edition of NOAD, or wants to keep its dictionary collection up to date, this is a buy. Christine Bulson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
As with all Mobipocket dictionaries, you can look up a word in any book with a click. No configuration is required, just have this dictionary in your library. See how it works here.

Review
"It runs more than 2,000 pages and weighs upward of 800 pounds, so will need one forklift or three sumo wrestlers to hoist it, but you will love this gorilla once you get to know it."--James Kilpatrick, "Writers Life"

"Includes some unique and useful extras."--School Library Journal Curriculum Connections

"NOAD is an eminently usable dictionary with an attractive layout; clear, crisp illustrations; usage guidance; and synonyms with connotations. Sure to be everyone's favorite dictionary! Summing up: Essential."--Choice

"More current than its closest rival in size....This is a 'buy.'"--Booklist STARRED REVIEW

"Erudite, accessible....If you're looking for a desk dictionary that covers the spectrum of American English, with a fair quantity of encyclopaedic information thrown in, you could do a lot worse." --World Wide Words

"Ms. McKean had been dubbed "America's lexicographical sweetheart" by National Public Rasio's program "Talk of the Nation.""--The New York Times

Reviews for the previous edition: "The gold standard of American dictionaries."--The Providence Journal

"With its unique approach to language, this is easy to use and provides clear, well-written definitions. "--Library Journal.

"Oxford has always been so good at dictionaries, and lexicographical publishing needs a boost after Random House suddenly abandoned the field.... I'd give the New Oxford American Dictionary to a person looking for a quick answer."--William Safire, The New York Times.

"In both definitions and pronounciations the dictionary emphasizes American English.... This is a useful quick-reference type of dictionary."--Houston Chronicle

Customer Reviews

Even better than the first edition
This is a review of the second edition of the dictionary. Naturally, it has been revised substantially by adding or updating entries and usage notes. This is well described by the publisher and other reviews.

A key new feature called "The Right Word" are valuable synonym study boxes discussing subtle differences in meaning, e.g., "definite" vs. "definitive".

The typography has been completely overhauled. The change is definitely for the better, although this may sound surprising given the richness and complexity in the first edition. Word functions, usage levels, examples, etc., are again set in distinct fonts, yet they harmonize here much better than before. I especially like the new italic face frequently seen in the numerous and illuminating examples. Phrases are explicitly set off from the main entry yet at equal weight. Etymologies and derivatives follow tightly at the very end but are still clearly recognizable.

The appendix has also received some attention and is now much more appropriate for a dictionary. The various "Hall of Fame" lists from the first edition have rightly been dropped in favor of informative and relevant language aids covering grammar, style, spelling, capitalization and punctuation. This part also includes several interesting lists of commonly mis-spelled words, clichés to avoid, and redundant expressions.

This is the best desk dictionary of contemporary American English.

The Best 1-Volume English Dictionary
The New Oxford American Dictionary (NOAD) is the best 1-volume English dictionary available. I will compare this dictionary to the American Heritage Dictionary (2006) as these two dictionaries are the best 1-volume English dictionaries available.

In my opinion, the NOAD is clearly a better dictionary for reasons listed below. Generally, the NOAD's entries are longer and more detailed, hence the reader gets more information. The American Heritage definitions are almost too concise (usually too concise for my preference) although many people may prefer the shorter definitions. Each dictionary will have a number of lesser know words (and even some more common words) the other dictionary will not have (especially scientific words, geographical locations, and newer words), so one dictionary is not superior as far as having a significant amount of more entries. It appears to me the NOAD has more entries, but even if it doesn't, it is still a better dictionary.

Some comparisons of American Heritage Dictionary (2006) to the NOAD (New Oxford American Dictionary)(2004)

-The NOAD is 1,959 pages A to Z, while The American Heritage 2,006 pages long A to Z. The American Heritage does not list anywhere that I can see how many entries it has. The NOAD says it has over 250,000 entries. The font of the American Heritage is smaller but it is just as easy to read as the NOAD's font. The NOAD uses 3 columns per page, the American Heritage uses 2.

-The American Heritage has some newer words not found in NOAD, such as Red state, Blue state, Sudoku, Texas hold'em, but don't get the idea though this makes it better than the NOAD. Here are some words (some relatively recent) the NOAD has that the American Heritage does not have: macarana (the dance), tamagotchi (the Japanese toy), October Surprise, Hamas (the militant Palestinian group), heat-seeking, (as a missile) tarte Tatin, solid south, spaceship earth.

-Although the NOAD lacks color, it has many effective illustrations, and it even devotes full pages to maps. The American Heritage is visually more appealing with its 4.000 color pictures complete with a nice design layout.

-A big advantage of the American Heritage is that it details some interesting etymological histories of about 400 common words. For instance the American Heritage dictionary gives a 13-line history on the word Kangaroo, explaining that it is not from an Aborigine meaning "I do not know," and then proceeds to explain the true history of the word. The American Heritage also has usage notes on over 750 synonyms, 100 notes on regionalisms, 500 notes on usage issues, and 50 notes on the social dimensions of some words.

-Although the NOAD does not give these selected, interesting word histories, overall the NOAD etymology is done much better than the American Heritage's etymology. The NOAD's etymological explanations are consistently more detailed, and will frequently add a time frame when the word came into use, e.g. early 17th century (although it will not give specific years), something the American Heritage does not. The NOAD will give folk etymology of some words, and like the American Heritage will give notes on proper usage and help the reader/writer use the right word with synonyms.

-One huge advantage the NOAD has over the American Heritage is that it adds many , many more common word phrase origins associated with a word, including proverbs, clichés, etc. For instance the word `pie" n. the NOAD will list the phrases "as easy as pie" "as sweet as pie" "a slice of the pie" and "pie in the sky" (and giving definitions of each phrase) while the American Heritage just lists and defines "pie in the sky." The NOAD will also give the origin of a few phrases such as "flash in the pan" (from the failure of gunpowder to ignite properly to fire a gun). The American Heritage does none of this with its phrases, but note that the American Heritage Dictionary publishes a separate book on word phrase origins, which is probably the reason it places little emphasis on them in its main dictionary.

-The NOAD is superior in the biographical entries to the American Heritage. Each dictionary will have some people the other will not, but when they are similar, the NOAD almost always gives more information in a biographical entry. The NOAD is also superior in geographical entries. food entries, and political terms. The NOAD is also better at including entries one would normally find in an encyclopedia, for instance Tamil Tigers, Hammond Organ, Abbey Road are in the NOAD, but not in the American Heritage.

-The NOAD is slightly better in giving information about nations of the world. The American Heritage's entries on nations is short and very basic, while the NOAD's, though not much longer, it will nevertheless give a better history of a country than the American Heritage will.

I love dictionaries, but in comparing these two dictionaries, the NOAD to me has its pulse on the English language more than the American Heritage, and so NOAD would be my first choice. The American Heritage Dictionary however is still very good. If you love words, you should get them both to enjoy the variety each provides.

even better than the first edition
I knew I would like this new edition, but I didn't know how much! The Oxford American Dictionary is the best new dictionary of American English out there. It seems counterintuitive that OXFORD would make a great AMERICAN dictionary, but they really have more coverage than the other dictionaries I have (and I have a lot of dictionaries!).

The new edition has so much more material, including a really great new essay on etymology and new synonym studies.

I personally like the new page layout much better. The old one was very "dance-y" and distracting -- too much going on. This one is much simpler and flows better. I had no trouble finding the phrases (they begin with a dark triangle and the word PHRASES in bold type, so they're hard to miss!). The eytmologies start with an open triangle, but they always come near the end of the entry so I don't see how they're difficult to find, either. The font they use for the pronunciations is easier to read, as well, and they now have the key on every right-hand page.

And this new edition has a CD inside the book that lets you load the ENTIRE DICTIONARY on your smartphone or Blackberry or Treo!

If using a dictionary makes you cranky, you owe it to yourself to get this one and never feel cranky about looking something up again. It is the most usable, best-laid-out, most comprehensive dictionary I've seen yet.