This dictionary, written by renowned philologist Hensleigh Wedgwood, is a comprehensive guide to the origins and development of over 38,000 English words. With examples cited from Old English to modern usage, this reference work is an essential tool for anyone interested in the study of language evolution. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.