Customer Reviews

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition With CD Rom

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

 

 

Along with the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the electronic dictionary and thesaurus are excellent. I would have given 5 stars, but the process of highlighting a word, copying it, and then activating the M-W Link (to access the dictionary/thesaurus stored on the hard drive) is a little cumbersome, but it is still a VERY useful tool. The electronic dictionary even has some images. Another plus, it is very easy to switch back and forth from the dictionary and thesaurus.

I just had a brief comment on something many people probably don't think about when buying a dictionary.

One problem with dictionaries, especially of English, is the problem of updating it for new words. English is particularly good, or bad, about this, about coming up with neologisms, and lexicographers routinely track new words to see if they have enough legs and staying power in use to become worthy of inclusion in the dictionary.

This dictionary has the advantage of being updated every year, and new editions come out every few years or so, as opposed to the other much bigger dictionaries, although they often have supplements that you can buy.

Most of us probably don't need to be that up-to-date on new words, unless one is really hung-up on slang, but it's one of the things that makes life hard for a lexicographer of English. Also, not all the new words are slang-related--many are techologically related--and those also get added to the language and change more and more quickly these days.

I could have purchased used copies of this item for less than $5.00.
Instead I choose to spend $24 for this item because it is advertised with a CD ROM.
The CD contains the MW Collegiate Dictionary 10th Edition plus a thesaurus.

A detailed description of each word, it's use and each word many forms or uses. Very easy to use.

I write a lot of papers, and sometimes I am not able to access Merriam-Webster's website. So, I need an accurate and up-to-date dictionary and thesaurus on my computers. You can install both the dictionary and thesaurus, and they only take up 28 MB of disk space combined. That way, you won't have to use the CD-ROM. Very nice. The dictionary itself is great as well, perfect for college students and anyone who values the English language. Also, it is cheaper than a lot of the other larger and cumbersome dictionaries out there.