Customer Reviews

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

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There isn't any better dictionary in English, other than the OED (Oxford English Dictionary). I bought my first American Heritage Dictionary in 1970 at the recommendation of one of my college instructors, who was a poet. He said it was the best and it was. No other dictionary reference book ever came close to examining and explaining words and their definitions as effectively as the American Heritage. Only when I wanted the most intense definition of a word based on its root origins would I turn to the OED. The American Heritage Dictionary is not an esoteric book, however. This masterful accomplishment of editiong has all the words and their meanings(more than the college edition which makes this a better book for the language majors) and is easy to use and clear. This is a classic book for everyone who needs to know what a word means. I wish they had this version in CD-Rom.

Without a doubt this is a far superior dictionary than the Merrium-Webster's dictionary. This dictionary is designed the way a dictionary should be. Definitions are listed not how they evolved historically, but how they are used with the most common usage of a word coming before less common uses.

Also, the English usage notes in the dictionary are more reflective of the way English is used in the United States than the MW dictionary.

A riddle: what book weighs 8.5 lbs., is read almost every day, but is never finished? Easy answer: "The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language," third edition (1996, 1992) ["AHD"].

As a teacher of first-year college English courses, I recommend this dictionary to my students. It has large print; lists some synonyms; has word history and usage notes; offers illustrations; shows proper hyphenation, syllabification, and pronunciation of words.

For the rare instance that a word is not found in the "AHD," I suggest that students consult the library's copy of the "Oxford English Dictionary," second edition ["OED"]. For classroom use, I recommend the "Oxford American Dictionary" (1980), an inexpensive paperback, which has some excellent, brief usage notes.

This dictionary makes an excellent high school graduation present for the college-bound student. It is also a good reference book for the home or office library.

In 1973, just before entering college, I purchased the then current edition. It's the best dictionary I've ever owned, and among the best I've ever used (even when you consider I studied English at the college level, and have used some of the most authoritative dictionaries of the discipline). I am so sold on it, I'm giving each of my two daughters one for Christmas this year.

Unless one has an urgent need for "The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language," third edition, hardcover [ISBN: 0395448956 or ISBN: 0395711460], please wait until September 14, 2000, when the same dictionary will come out in a fourth edition [ISBN: 0395825172]. Of course, when I wrote the previous "AHD" review a few days ago, I did not know a new edition was being issued so soon.

Another note: please do not confuse "The American Dictionary of the English Language" with the "College" version of the same dictionary, which is not as good. If one wants a great dictionary on CD-Rom, then I recommend the "OED," second edition. I have the Mac version, (and I love it), but I have to keep it as my "resident" CD-Rom for it to work. Unless one is a matriculated English major, I do not imagine that one would need a CD-Rom version.

I recently bought a new edition of this dictionary, after loving the 1982 version, which I use in my office. I've also given a number of copies as gifts over the years. For me, the illustrations really make it. Terrific!

You won't find much in here that you can't find in one of the better desk dictionaries, such as Merriam-Webster's or Webster's New World. While presenting an attractive and respectable view of the language, this over-sized tome is heavy, bulky, and expensive. This awkward book collects dust on my shelf while I continue to use the more convenient, more scholarly, and more comprehensive Merriam-Webster's Collegiate.

While I would recommend this book over the American Heritage College Dictionary, for its fuller definitions, and more numerous usage notes and synonym studies, I am not excited by it. The pictures are nice, but too often I've found that they convey little extra information. The printing is attractive, but the paper stock is thin, lacks body, and must be handled delicately to avoid damage. And for all its bulk, this book has many fewer words of text than the much more compact Merriam-Webster Collegiate.

In short, what the publishers have produced here is a book that has initial visual appeal, but upon use, is found to be wanting. Try lugging this one along in your briefcase on your next assignment and you'll know what I'm talking about. And thumbing your way thru this book is a tedious and fussy business. The pages tend to droop when turned, thus leading to creased and crumpled pages. Despite its pleasing appearance, this is not a book that invites frequent use.

As a teacher of English, I have several dictionaries available both for classroom and personal use. This dictionary is definitely the best. I use it as a mini-encyclopedia when asked questions about people and locations, and even historical eras. I pick it up several times a week. I am buying this copy for my college daughter who misses "mom's great dictionary."

I love the look of this book and American Heritage did a great job but I made the mistake of buying this without realizing it was first published over 7 years ago. I know that my life has changed a lot in 7 years and so has the language. This book does not contain a lot of the computer, medical and technical words and phrases that have come into existence since 1992.

I've used and loved this dictionary for 24 years, through three editions. I love words and I love to write. The usage and synonym notes are unique and terrific for finding the right word. For slang and technical terms, use the web. I have my massive Random House Dictionary when I need it, and a shelf full of style manuals and thesauri, but this dictionary is my favorite.