The Merriam-Webster Dictionary [Paperback]

Merriam-Webster (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 087779636X | ISBN-13: 978-0877796367 | Publication Date: July 2005

Based on Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition 75,000 definitions 2,000 new words Expanded back matter sections: Confused and Misused Words English Word Roots - Great for preparing standardized tests Irregular English Verbs - Great for ESL Basic English Grammar Handbook of Style, including Documentation of Sources Guide to Common Verb Collocations - Essential for ESL NEW: An Overview of the Internet

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Webster's son William also served as an editor of that first Merriam-Webster dictionary, which was published on September 24, 1847.

Although Webster's work was honored, his big dictionaries had never sold well. The 1828 edition was priced at a whopping $20; in 13 years its 2,500 copies had not sold out. Similarly, the 1841 edition, only slightly more affordable at $15, moved slowly. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.

The first Merriam-Webster dictionary was greeted with wide acclaim. President James K. Polk, General Zachary Taylor (hero of the Mexican War and later president himself), 31 U.S. senators, and other prominent people hailed it unreservedly. In 1850 its acceptance as a resource for students began when Massachusetts ordered a copy for every school and New York placed a similar order for 10,000 copies to be used in schools throughout the state. Eventually school use would spread throughout the country. In becoming America's most trusted authority on the English language, Merriam-Webster dictionaries had taken on a role of public responsibility demanded of few other publishing companies. 

Product Details

• Paperback: 701 pages
• Publisher: Merriam Webster (July 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087779636X
• ISBN-13: 978-0877796367
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > English

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2005 ed. ISBN-10:0-87779-636-X (pbk.:alk. paper), June 28, 2008

By 

Terry A. Montgomery (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (Paperback)

I rate this particular edition 5* because of its handiness and inclusion of almost every word I would use, from academic writing to casual letters. The 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.6 size suits my taste for such a reference. It is not too heavy to carry around; the print is perfectly sized for me, whereas the print of the "typical" paperback book-size dictionary seems too small. I think this edition's ease of reading is due to the quality of paper used; it is acid-free, producing crisp, clear letters. Other pluses are the "lists" inclusions of hundreds of "dis-", "un-", con-", etc. words that normally would not be included in paperback-sized dictionaries (a few out there though).

Although it probably will never happen, I'd like this dictionary even more if I could buy it spiral-bound with a heavy-quality plastic front and back. Since it's not offered that way, though, I have had mine bounded. My husband and I fuss over whose desk gets the dictionary, so because of the great price, I'm ordering another.

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Adequate and Easy To Use, November 13, 2006

By 

Lucy Levant (Boston MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (Paperback)

A few words I looked up were not in this dictionary, but it is fine for everyday use. The print is easy to read, and it is a comfortable size to use.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars What's it for?, February 6, 2010

By 

David Johnson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Merriam-webster Dictionary (Paperback)

Of the first seven (non-technical) words I searched for in this dictionary, six were absent. Also, there are no word derivations. Simply awful.