This extensive reference volume presents the etymological history of thousands of English words.

The story of how words come to be is the story of how humans think, and how we fashion our civilizations. Words can be the product of long and intertwining histories, migrations from other languages, or new coinages of science or slang. This diversity of origins is part of what gives the English language its beauty and power.

In Dictionary of Word Origins, etymologist Joseph T. Shipley provides a fascinating window into the evolution of modern English, from the onomatopoetic aspect of "abash" to the animalistic origins of "zodiac."