The American Heritage Dictionary Of The English Language, Fifth Edition: Fiftieth Anniversary Printing Hardcover – October 16, 2018

I adore my new American Heritage dictionary. It is my bible--my truth and my light. For lovers and explorers of words, this book provides lifetimes of page-flipping, intellectual adventures. Definitions are clear and concise; beyond-basic synonyms are provided for one to become lost in a linguistic labyrinth and peruse perpetually; and importantly, word origins reveal the birth of one's repertoire of known and waiting-to-be-discovered lexicon--know thy provenance.Indeed, the seven-plus pounds of papyrus--sturdily bound and hard covered--deceptively serves a multitude of purposes. For instance, I insist using this dictionary when playing Scrabble and accordingly have created a make-shift book cover out of a brown paper sack with the words "The Only Official Scrabble Dictionary" calligraphed in Gothic script. The sheer size of this book alone intimidates opponents, which makes beads of sweat form on their brows and evokes reluctance to challenge words that I devise. Here's a hint: the probability of randomly constructing a word within reason (e.g., consonants and vowels reasonably interspersed, rather than a string of consonants--unless Latin is fair game) AND finding it in this particular dictionary is high. That is to say, take a bold chance--a shot in the dark--in composing unfamiliar/unknown words because the odds of the word being in this book are favorable, and you'll likely learn a new word in the process--just make sure you're wearing a poker face.A few other beneficial--albeit obscure--uses include (a) an effective weight that flattens/restores curled and bent edges of other books and paper(s) within hours, (b) a booster seat if you can barely see over the steering wheel, (c) a significant elevation boost to reach the top shelves in pantries, cabinets, and closets, and (d) a powerful bludgeoning weapon--delivering fatal blows via swinging or projecting--fashioned by securing bungee cords or ropes in a cross pattern around the central, horizontal and vertical axes of the dictionary. Lastly, a catapult filled with a few of these babies would surely cause fortifications--e.g., the proposed US-Mexico border wall--to come crumbling down, not to mention that one would be safe from legal repercussions because, after all, just claim that you're an aid in ESL efforts, attempting to deliver academic resources to neighbors in need of good ol' American assimilation on the other side.Testimony: Prior to receiving this dictionary about six months ago, my vocabulary was comparable to an average 5th grade pupil's. But, after studying for 30 minutes a day, six days a week, the results are robustly overt. I have better self-esteem, my visage is more vivacious, and I've earned a yellow belt in the local library's Scrabble Association of America, Sigma Gamma Radiation Chapter. It's just been a total life changer in general. Thanks American Heritage--y'all ROCK!

If they want to check what a word means, how to spell it or pronounce it, most people nowadays simply Google it, getting everything they need in a trice, including an audio pronunciation--no need to understand those diacritic marks in the print dictionary's guide. So, why have a big fat dictionary like this huge (11" X 9" X 2.4") special edition of the American Heritage? Because it's fun to just browse through its big pages, skimming randomly or scanning for weird words and odd usages. If you like to open a book once in a while rather than always tapping, swiping and clicking--and if you can dedicate a bit of space for the open tome--you'll love this handsome, colorful dictionary. The words are easy to discern because they're in blue while the definitions are in black. And there are many color photos and illustrations in the wide margins. The Usage Panel, chaired by linguist Steven Pinker, comprises a myriad of famous writers and distinguished professors. In their many "usage notes," the panel is not in the business of dictating and promulgating rules, by the way. They clearly explain how language has changed and keeps changing.There's a wealth of information in this book, sometimes to the point of seeming like a concise encyclopedia, not just a dictionary. Every time I browse through it, I learn something new.

The AHD is a gem for those who love the English language as well as those just looking up a word. I replaced my 3rd edition, bought nearly 30 years ago, with this updated 5th edition for the 50th anniversary of the AHD in order to get all the new words which have come into the language as well as updated usages and etymologies. As a linguist, the AHD is my best friend. It has not only words and definitions, but also grammatical categories, pronunciations, word usage notes, examples of use, synonyms, etymologies, and, at the back, the Indo-European roots. And I find also that an appendix on Semitic roots has been added! Yeh! The pictures are all in color, and the head words are in blue allowing for faster retrieval in a scan of a page. Make sure you look your new dictionary over thoroughly--read the first few pages about variation and change in English, usage in the AHD, and guide to the AHD. You will learn so much! And don't forget to find English on the wheel inside the back cover--some of you may be surprised to find that English, though full of French and Latin, is genetically a Germanic language.

Having a hard copy of a dictionary is great. American Heritage is my favorite dictionary. The app that was included has been one of my favorite apps for a long time. This order was placed years ago. I apologize for the delayed review.

The dictionary is excellent with very deep derivations, lots of hard to find words, very precisely worded definitions and pretty up to date. This dictionary is for advanced readers and writers, it should not be used by beginning or intermediate readers; you will get into a word chain and never come out.I didn't like that it is very big and heavy. I also don't like the book cover; It is white cloth and absorbent. The previous 5th edition had the same cover and mine got dirty very quickly looking like a wrecked book. I use a dictionary very much. I have been using American Heritage almost exclusively since 1976 and I own every edition. Use this dictionary if you want to be very literate.

My dictionary arrived in excellent condition, and earlier than anticipated. It's a beautiful luxurious reference book. I widely recommend to buy books with Amazon. Excellent!!!

O dicionário é excelente em termos de conteúdo. A única questão que incomoda, mas isso não desmerece o produto, é o tamanho do livro, o que torna difícil o manuseio. Acredito que um bom suporte para livro deva resolver isso. No mais, o dicionário me pareceu bem completo, com belas ilustrações, as quais, sem margem para dúvida, ajudam na fixação do vocabulário.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition is an excellent resource to have a good command of the English language. Moreover, if you are studying English, you can use it just to keep your hand in and pass your exams with flying colors! To tell you the truth, it is a big dictionary which contains the parts of speech, a lot of pictures, phrasal verbs and idioms; therefore, I did like it very much and consider it as an indispensable tool for my educational background. On the other hand, knowing new vocabulary is the key for the communication and the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition, meets this expectation!!! I highly recommend it because it is very well designed to help both professionals and students of English to be successful in the professional field !!!

I love looking up words. I do it with dictionary apps and with my Casio electronic dictionary. But with this dictionary it's even more fun. I keep on leafing through its many pages and discover something new every time.

Nel 1980 vivevo in USA e avevo chiesto ad una professoressa di consigliarmi un dizionario americano per migliorare il mio Inglese e mi aveva suggerito questo. Dopo oltre 30 anni non ho esitato a comprarmi questa nuova edizione che è sempre magnifica. Ora, per di più, ho potuto avere anche la copia digitale che ho installato sull’Ipad. È pure dotata della pronuncia sonora delle parole.