Customer Reviews

DK Illustrated Oxford Dictionary

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The DK Illustrated Oxford Dictionary is both a great coffee table book and a very appealing reference work. The color illustrations and layout from DK are outstanding and will spur many young (and old) readers to browse through the dictionary. The text from Oxford University Press is not as successful and not particularly user-friendly for the young readers who would be expected to form the primary audience for this type of work. Although the definitions are concise, there are few examples of how words are used. And there are no etymologies. A more minor but annoying feature is the repeated use of the word "etc" in definitions. Overall, an excellent buy.

The other reviewers are right: This is a beautifully illustrated dictionary, fun to browse and hard to put down. It really is great for getting young people interested in words and research, and fosters the love of learning. Although my daughter is only in the 4th grade, she enjoys this dictionary - which will really be more appropriate for her in a few years. But despite its overall excellence, there are a few minor flaws. For instance, in the printing that I have, the word "Mississippi" has been left out! Neither the state nor river is there - no listing at all. All the other US states are there. I found that strange, especially since all the pages are properly numbered; none have been omitted. The other minor annoyance was that when I contacted DK, the publisher, I got no response at all. These minor problems aside, the gorgeous illustrations in this book still merits 4 stars in my opinion.

I used this dictionary to look up a word on about the third day I owned it. I was delightfully surprised to find pictures! There are over 4,500 color images to give instant visual definitions and they help to bring unfamiliar items to life and they add a deeper understanding of the words.

600 illustrated feature panels also provide in-depth information on topics such as: technology, natural history, art and music. There are also hundreds of new words and phrases from voice mail to sport utility vehicle which gives an up-to-date appeal to this book.

This might just be the most authoritative and accessible illustrated dictionary of American English available today. With 187,000 definitions and entries and an easy-to-use thumb index...it is the only dictionary I will be using at home when I don't want to go look up a word online.

This work represents the collaboration between DK and Oxford. Oxford has published dictionaries for over 150 years. DK is well known for their visually stunning books.

The pictures really help to give your eyes a break from an overwhelming number of words and definitions. I especially liked the picture of the ocelot on page 565. On page 132 they have listed many of the main cat breeds with pictures.

I could not resist looking up: condescending...to see if it really didn't say what it meant. Only because the reviewer before me said it seemed to convey a different meaning. I guess maybe they only read Condescend. You decide after reading the definition....

Condescend: Behave as if one is on equal terms with (an inferior), while maintaining an attitude of superiority. or Condescending: Patronizing.

The Reference Section includes a Political Map of the World, A Physical map of the World, Countries of the World and their flags, The Night Sky, Measurements, the Periodic Table, Time Periods, Wedding Anniversaries, Birthstones, Time Zones, States of the US, Presidents of the US, Books of the Bible, The Living World (classification system), The Animal Kingdom (classification of the animal kingdom) and a section on Grammar and Style.

~The Rebecca Review

Have you ever seen 10th grade students browse a dictionary? They do with this one. I teach English for at-risk students, and I have found that this book is well-liked. It is easy to use and reader friendly.

"DK Illustrated Oxford Dictionary" is an outstanding family reference. Its 180,000 concise and authoritative entries are combined with 4,500 images to enhance your comprehension of the text entries. For example, under "Atoll," you not only get the definition and pronunciation guide, you get a simple but colorful sectional diagram, showing the ocean, lagoon, and coral reef. And under "Atrium," you're given a beautiful photograph of an ornate 19th-century Australian shopping arcade. The book's entries and illustrations are matched by other fine features. They include Measurements; a Physical Map of the World; The Night Sky; and Grammar and Style. DK Publishing and Oxford University Press have produced a splendid visual dictionary.

It's really a Y2K dictionary! It's absolutely different from all other old style dictionary! It's too attractive and good for young people up to octogenarian. So many color llustrations at each page.---it seems as an encyclopedia, from architecture to human body to biology to cosmo....to anything, you may get a proper concept ---so, the WORD explained by drawings. (as a reader said, such as ATRIUM, also rigs, Channel...) The fonts used are attractive. I just "read" every page every day! The price is crazily cheap! I like to be a salesman to recommend you to buy one, also for your children or friends!

This dictionary is an "Eye Candy" as it fascinated me by its colorful illustrations, good quality paper, etc. But I was dismayed, when I had to look for the meaning "condescend". The definition given is not so clear and almost connotes the opposite of the real meaning. Also, they gave the meaning as "patronize" and when I looked for the meaning for patronize they gave the definition as condescend!!! (DK-OUP, the definitions gotta be clearer, guys!)

It also lacks the important features like etymology, word history, usage, etc that most collegiate dictionaries have.

If you are only concerned about the illustrations, you can go-ahead and buy this. But if you are looking for something to enrich your English Knowledge, you are better off with a college dictionary like Random House's, Microsoft Encarta, Merriam Webster, etc, or better yet, with Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary by AS Hornby.

Yet, there is something singular in the dictionary that makes me read it often. I guess, it is the colorful gorgeous illustrations and flawless print.

When you stop browsing the SF section of your local... to hunch over a dictionary, muttering "very nice. cool! lookit that! WOW!" it's this one. Multiply the illustrations by 1,000 & you've got the value of this reference in "stuff finally understood clearly" units. Useful, adequate definitions, but definitely needs etymology.

If you are looking for illustrated dictionary for adults, please go ahead and buy this one. Its a bargain for the quality and utility it has got for an adult looking to know more about different things.

Its not an encyclopedia. It is not intended to be. It illustrated pictorially what a word means whenever possible. I want to know what a cathedral is I turn to Ca and find the word cathedral. I look at the picture and also notice what different parts are called.

There are more than 4000 pictures. Other books boast of 2000 pictures but all they have are small pictures with very less information. But I dont like one thing. It doesnot have enough crossreferences. I guess they had to keep this book concise.

certain words make sense only when u see the pictures. Compared to online dictionaries and encyclopedias I prefer this one as I can relax and browse this when I travel rather than carry a laptop around and strain my eyes seeing the LCD for hours.

I bought a copy of this book.
Its really good. Lot of pictures
The words have good meanings specially the ones that reuire a picture.