The American Heritage Science Dictionary [Hardcover]

Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 25, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0618455043 | ISBN-13: 978-0618455041

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary defines the working vocabulary of the sciences in language that general readers can read and enjoy. Clearly written and richly illustrated, the dictionary covers all the major fields of science, from the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics to the applied realms of medicine, ecology, and computer science. Each entry is written in an easy-to-understand style, and many entries are accompanied by instructive photographs and drawings. Important scientific concepts, such as relativity, genetic sequencing, and plate tectonics, are further explained in notes accompanying the entries.
The dictionary also includes biographical entries that describe the achievements of great scientists, from ancients like Archimedes and Aristotle to modern scientists like Rosalyn Yalow and Roger Sperry. With cross-references linking related entries and informative tables and charts, The American Heritage® Science Dictionary is the perfect reference book for people looking to improve their science literacy, complete homework assignments, or understand breakthroughs reported in the headlines.

• 8,500 entries in all areas of science • Over 350 photographs and drawings • 320 biographies of notable scientists • 175 notes on key scientific concepts • Useful tables and charts

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up–Replacing The American Heritage Dictionary of Science (Houghton, 1988; o.p.), this all-new resource mixes generous definitions for more than 8000 scientific terms from "A" ("Abbreviation of adenine, ampere, angstrom, area") to "-zygous," from "fuzzy logic" to "phlogiston," with about 150 boxed analytical entries, twice as many capsule biographies, and even more line drawings or small but clear black-and-white photos. Though the foreword rightly extols the pleasures of surfing these pages, most students will stick to quick-reference use; still, as a replacement for the old edition, or even as an upgrade for The American Heritage Student Science Dictionary (Houghton, 2002), in school libraries or classroom collections supporting strong science programs, this will be a core purchase.–John Peters, New York Public Library
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About the Author

The Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries and of other reference titles published by Houghton Mifflin Company are trained lexicographers with a varied array of interests and expertise. Most of the editors hold graduate degrees and have studied at least one foreign language. Several have degrees in linguistics or in the history of the English language. Others have degrees in science or sometimes other disciplines. All the editors familiarize themselves with the vocabulary in specific subject areas, collect materials on new developments and usage, and work in association with consultants to ensure that the content of our publications is as accurate and as up-to-date as possible.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 704 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (January 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618455043
• ISBN-13: 978-0618455041
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,267,869 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American Heritage Science Dictionary, September 1, 2009

By 

Sam Adams (Minnesota. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Heritage Science Dictionary (Hardcover)

This is a handy one-volume reference for scientific terms and for short descriptions of a few (39, to be exact) scientists. Besides definitions, there are three other kinds of entry, called "a closer look", "biographies" and "usage". The book is written in a two-column format and these additional entries can run from a quarter to three quarters of a column, sometimes boxed off at the bottom of the page and taking up in some cases more than half the entire page.

The two page Periodic Table is situated near its alphabetical position (actually it interupts the entry on 'pesticide', so it's slightly out of position), and a two page spread on Geologic Time interrupts the entry on 'geostationary orbit' . There are a few other charts that take up a single page, such as those for the Solar System, Symbols & Signs, and Taxonomy. They occur pretty close to where you'd expect them (again, they are shifted slightly out of alphabetical position).

The text is written at the "popular science" level and does not go into advanced, detailed explanations. It's an enjoyable book to browse in; it's a handy size; and it's a well-made volume. There are illustrations in it and the font is easy to read.

My copy is the 2005 edition. An updated edition was published in 2008.