The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (Third Edition) [Paperback]

Merriam-Webster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996 | ISBN-10: 0877799156 | ISBN-13: 978-0877799153 | Edition: 3rd Rep

A newly revised and updated edition of the book that millions of Scrabble players call their bible. Authorized by the makers of Scrabble Brand crossword games and endorsed by the National Scrabble Association for recreational and school use.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you're using the 1991 edition or the 1978 original, you're woefully behind the Scrabble-playing times. With more than 100,000 2- to 8-letter words, there are some interesting additions ("aargh," "aarrgh," and "aarrghh" are all legitimate now), while words they consider offensive are no longer kosher. Why subscribe to the Scrabble dictionary's changeable lexicon? Well, it ends the argument of whose dictionary to use, but the main reason is that it's the winner's dictionary, and why play Scrabble if not to win? Memorize those 2- and 3-letter words, and your Scrabble game becomes lethal.

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: 672 pages
• Publisher: Merriam Webster Mass Market; 3rd Rep edition (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877799156
• ISBN-13: 978-0877799153
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #290,616 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Reference
  • #59 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Word Games

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

162 of 163 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good word list, but incomplete, July 22, 2001

By 

Dominick Mancine (Louisville, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (Third Edition) (Paperback)

The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, 3rd edition (OSPD3) is more valuable as a list of acceptable words for use when playing Scrabble than it is as a dictionary. That being said, it is not totally useful as a list of words. The 3rd edition updates the word list from the 2nd edition, but leaves out offensive words, to allow the dictionary to be used when playing with children. If you don't mind not having offensive words in your Scrabble word arsenal, then this book is fine for you.

However, if you want your word list to be complete, then you need the Official Tournament and Club Word List (OWL), which is available only from the National Scrabble Association. Unfortunately, you need to become a member before they will sell you the book. It doesn't contain definitions, either, only a list of 2- to 9-letter words. And, you still need Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition to get the longer words.. ..

Now that you know how to collect all the words allowable in Scrabble tournament and club play, know this: Your friends and family will complain when you try to use many of these words! The official word list is a compilation of all the words from the 10 most popular dictionaries that satisfy the conditions listed in the Scrabble rules for acceptable words. So, some dictionary has defined ED to mean "education" (presumably from phrases like "special ed" or "driver's ed"). However, it's not considered an abbreviation because that dictionary didn't specifically mention that it's an abbreviation. Also, foreign words are unacceptable, but there are a lot of words of foreign origin that are acceptable (CHEZ, CIAO, CASA, etc.), and spellings of foreign letters (ALPHA, BETA, XI, QOPH, etc.). And good luck explaining that KUE is "the letter Q".

So, if you need a list of a lot of words that are appropriate for school or family play, get the OSPD3. If you want definitions, (What the heck is a JNANA, anyway?) get the OSPD3. If you want to use lots of swear words and derogatory names, don't get the OSPD3. If you want an official word list, get the OWL and MW's Collegiate Dictionary, or find a word list online. If you want to tick off your opponents with your immense vocabulary of useless words, any of these word lists will work great.

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't play without it, November 16, 2003

By 

Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (Third Edition) (Paperback)

The OSPD is no ordinary dictionary. There are capsule definitions given but no usage tips. All the entries are in caps. Since there are no proper names allowed, this doesn't matter. The most important information about the entries (from the point of view of the Scrabble player) is how they are spelled, how they are made plural, how the gerund and past tenses are formed, and whether you can make comparatives or superlatives out of the word and how.

For example the plural of "bijou" (a jewel) is either "bijoux" or "bijous," and the OSPD gives that info. The gerund of "snib" (to latch) is "snibbing" while the comparative of "sleazy" is "sleazier" and the superlative, "sleaziest." There is also the adverb, "sleazily."

The -er form of a word is listed separately. If you don't find it, it's not a word!--or at least that should be our agreement. For example "renown" is a noun and a verb but there is no "renowner"--"someone who makes renown" since the verb is intransitive, but there is a "tearer"--"one who tears." (There's also a "terror," but never mind.)

By the way, words beginning with the prefix "re" as in, e.g., "reword" are listed separately from words that begin with the "re" that is not a prefix. Again, "renown" is not listed after "rename" but follows "renovate" a few pages later.

The other peculiarities of the entries are explained in the Introduction, which I highly recommend you read. (Be sure your informed opponent has read it!) There it is explained why "You should look always look at several entries above and below the expected place..." when searching for the word in question. You should also read the brief Preface in which the editors explain why some offensive (especially four-letter) words do not appear. Note too that words longer than eight letters (and indeed one-letter words) do not appear (except for some inflected forms) because they are seldom if ever used in a Scrabble game. Of course most veteran players have on occasion played a very nice nine-letter, double triple-word, 50-point bonus word. I did myself once. I wish I could remember what it was.

For casual players, who typically use a collegiate dictionary to settle spelling disputes, the contents of this little green book will come as something of a shock. You mean "zax" is a word? How about "zek"? Can you believe "jefe"? This is just to name three off hand that are not in the Random House college dictionary I have in front of me.

There are in fact in the OSPD seven words beginning with a "q" not followed by a "u" (qaid, qanat, qat, qindar, qintar, qiviut, and qoph--in case you're in the middle of a game). Don't laugh. In some households there is a Scrabble game going on at all times just as in some other households the TV is always on. Random House's college dictionary doesn't give "qaid" or "qanat" but surprisingly has "qadi" which is not given by the OSPD.

I think Scrabble has influenced dictionary compilers because if you look at the Merriam-Webster (the same company that produces the OSPD) Ninth Collegiate (copyright 1985) you will find only qintar, qiviut and qoph. But even more tellingly if you look at Merriam-Webster's Second International Unabridged Dictionary (I have the edition of 1950), the Grand Dame of American dictionaries, you will find that there are no words beginning with a "q" not followed by a "u": no "qat," no "qintar," no "qoph," etc.

With so much variation between dictionaries, the good folks at Merriam-Webster saw a need and filled it. Most people I know play "house rules" and rely on the dictionary(ies) that happen to be in residence. My recommendation is that you buy two of these green books, one in paperback to take with you when you take your Scrabble game on the road, and another in hardback to have at home. Of course if you haven't used this book before it will take some getting used to. But buy a Scrabble software program and practice with this book at hand, and after some time you will find that, with all those extra words to play with, you can really rack up the points!

One other thing to realize is that some of the spellings and even some of the words in the OSPD are really not standard anymore and should not be considered part of the so-called "Standard English" that we all read and (usually) speak. This fact does not detract from the utility of the OSPD for Scrabble players; however, as other reviewers have pointed out, when writing a term paper use a "real" dictionary.

In short, it is not the plentiful number of Scrabble-type words that appear in this dictionary that makes it so valuable--although that is certainly one of its best features. It is rather the definitive way the OSPD demonstrates exactly how different forms of words are spelled, something not always done in your average dictionary.

The OSPD is most valuable because it settles spelling disputes in a quick and unambiguous manner, and that alone is reason enough to buy this book.

97 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yes, But No... Hmm.. Yes, July 16, 2000

By 

A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com "What should ... (Glen Ellyn, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (Third Edition) (Paperback)

I realize my title is of vague, if not poor in meaning. My thoughts of this dictionary are like that.

I love Scrabble. With an English degree, a bookwormish lifestyle and a highly verbal family, I arrogantly call it a challenge to be taken down by another player. The Scrabble dictionary is part of my confidence.

This dictionary standarizes the game. What other dictionaries lack is consistency and clarity. What counts as a foreign word? This dictionary creates a boundary otherwise unavailable for word usage.

If I played Scrabble in a league, I might be pickier about the words made available. But I like to play Scrabble the most with my aunt and Grandma out on a porch at a cottage on a lake, or at a coffeehouse with an editor friend of mine, highly caffeinated... enjoying family or friendship more than the game. Therefore, the Official Scrabble Dictionary is plenty for me.

Tidy little definitions are provided. "Hemagog" is defined as "an agent that promoters blood flow." Lets me know I can put an "S" on the end to pluralize it, that 'hemagog' is a noun. I am happy with that, yet fully aware a hematologist could tell me a hundred more things.

Profanity unfortunately is in there. All our favorite four-letter words seem to have made the cut. Yes, even THAT one. But the fact of the matter is what makes for common conversation is not always appropriate family discussion. A "legal" word in this book makes the game awkward when players with young children. I'm not saying don't buy the book. I am saying that you should be aware.

I recommend this book with the caveat that if you want to know everything about a word, buy the Oxford English Dictionary. If you want to play a relaxed game of Scrabble... buy this book.

Anthony Trendl