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Oxford English Dictionary

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Books from the Oxford English Dictionary – a helpful resource for learning new words!

The Oxford English Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary is a very special book about words. It tells us about the English language. It is made by the Oxford University Press, which is part of the University of Oxford.

People started working on this dictionary in 1857. The first part came out in 1884. It shows how English words have changed over many years. It is a helpful tool for teachers, students, and anyone who loves words.

The Oxford English Dictionary has many words. It grew from 291,500 words in 1989 to over 520,779 words today. It even has a very long word called "set" as the longest one to explain!

You can read the dictionary on computers and online now. It keeps getting new words added every three months. It is a wonderful way to learn about the history and fun of English words.

Images

Portrait of Frederick James Furnivall, a historical figure.
Portrait of Dr. William Chester Minor, an American surgeon who contributed significantly to the Oxford English Dictionary.
James Murray, a famous lexicographer, working in his scriptorium.
A historical quotation slip from the Oxford English Dictionary, showing how the word 'flood' has been used over time.
Historic home of James Murray, the editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, located on Banbury Road in Oxford.
A historical document showing pencil markings used to correct the SGML markup of the Oxford English Dictionary, displayed at the OUP Museum in Oxford.
A two-volume edition of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary from the 1970s, complete with a slipcase and magnifying glass — a great tool for learning new words!
A page from the Compact Oxford English Dictionary showing how multiple pages are condensed into one for easy portability.
Cover of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary, a reference book containing definitions of words.
Cover of the Oxford English Dictionary – a trusted reference book for learning new words.

Related articles

Oxford
English language
University of Oxford

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Oxford English Dictionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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