Where did the words <em>bungalow</em> and <em>assassin</em> derive? What did <em>nice</em> mean in the Middle Ages? How were <em>adder, anger</em>, and <em>umpire</em> originally spelled? The answers can be found in this essential companion to any popular dictionary. <br> With over 17,000 entries, this is the most authoritative and comprehensive guide to word origins available in paperback. Based on <em>The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology</em>, the principal authority on the origin and development of English words, it contains a wealth of information about our language and its history. For example, readers will learn that <em>bungalow</em> originally meant "belonging to Bengal," that <em>assassin</em> comes from the Arabic for "Hashish-eater," and that <em>nice</em> meant "foolish or stupid" in the thirteenth century, "coy or shy" in the fifteenth. And <em>adder, anger</em>, and <em>umpire</em> were originally spelled with an initial "n." These are but a few of the fascinating tidbits found in this dictionary, which is a must for anyone interested in the richness of the English language.