Describes the origin, meaning, and usage of more than four thousand words and expressions used in medicine, literature, music, philosophy, and other academic fields.

The study of classical languages by earlier generations of English-speaking students was greatly facilitated by the study of English grammar in the schools, a tradition now out of favor but one that emphasized precisely the concepts, terms, and constructions needed for the study of Greek and Latin.

Discover words to surprise, delight, and enamor. Learn terms for the sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees, for dancing awkwardly but with relish, and for the look shared by two people who each wish the other would speak first.