Chambers Dictionary of Etymology

How are the German ‘Tür’ and Sanskrit ‘dvar’ – meaning ‘door – related? When did the word Blarney first appear in print? What is the linguistic history of the word ‘history’? The Chambers Dictionary of Etymology holds all the answers for any person curious about the origins of the words they use, and how these words have changed over time. Developments of meaning, spelling, and pronunciation of over 30,000 English words are explored, with detailed entries tracing words back to their Proto-Germanic or Indo-European roots, and examining words borrowed from other languages, as well as the sources and dates of their first recorded use. First published as the Barnhart Etymological Dictionary, and now available from Chambers, this celebrated volume offers a unique combination of accessibility and authoritativeness, making it essential for the expert, and fascinating for the general reader.