The American Century Dictionary [Mass Market Paperback]

Laurence Urdang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1996

A BRAND-NEW DESK DICTIONARY FROM THE WORLD'S LEADING DICTIONARY-MAKER

Originally developed by Oxford University Press's Dictionary Department and edited by noted lexicographer Laurence Urdang, THE AMERICAN CENTURY DICTIONARY is a totally new dictionary created for American English. Its unique features include:
-- the latest new words and acronyms, such as NIMBY, telecommute, and grunge
-- thousands of colloquial and slang expressions, such as legit, yuck, and zilch
-- up-to-date computer and technical terms, such as ASCII, e-mail, fax, and virtual reality, as well as new terms from medicine and business
-- special easy-to-use organization -- all entries, including prefixes, abbreviations, foreign words, and biographical and geographical names, are arranged alphabetically in one section
-- separate quick-reference tables: countries, states, state capitals, area and ZIP codes, presidents, and more.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 704 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (August 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446601217
• ISBN-13: 978-0446601214
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.5 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,603,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, concise dictionary!, November 12, 2010

By 

M.E.R. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The American Century Dictionary (Mass Market Paperback)

This dictionary was a very nice find. It is not too poetic or dry and is a great complement with other more "in-depth" dictionaries. The definitions are more than adequate and has a no-nonsense feel to it so we can get right down to business. And how can you lose out with the price? A great dictionary. Laurence Urdang is a genius!

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Purchase Considering The Price, April 17, 2006

By 

J. Akil (Midwest, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The American Century Dictionary (Mass Market Paperback)

The price of this book, only $3.99, is the biggest selling point; you simply can't be that price. Size would have to be the second factor that makes this dictionary a best-buy. It is small enough to be carried in any purse or book bag.

The number of etymologies are incredibly limited and there is no section on the rules of style and grammer.

The supplementary information is a bit dated, you have to consider it was published in 1996. For instance, at the time this dictionary was published the city of Chicago had only one area code: 312. Since that time the area code of 773 has been created and the book, of course, does not reflect this fact.

Definitions are also limited. The word "aliteracy" is not present and neither is "syncretic" but it does contain the slang word "wasted".

If you are looking for a purely functional dictionary, your funds are limited, and you want something easily transportable then this is the dictionary for you.