Research Guides: ENGL 14: Introduction to Literary History and Interpretation (Tarnoff): Dictionaries

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Merriam-Webster Unabridged This link opens in a new window
The largest and most comprehensive dictionary of the English language as it is currently used today.
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Literary Theory and Terminology

REFERENCE SOURCES ON LITERARY THEORY AND TERMINOLOGY

The following reference works are good sources for learning more about particular theoretical approaches, and for finding definitions of the terms used by scholars when analyzing literature.

General Dictionaries

GENERAL DICTIONARIES

The following online dictionaries are two of the most highly respected dictionaries for learning about words in the English language in all fields of study.

Merriam-Webster Unabridged This link opens in a new window
This is the largest and most comprehensive dictionary of the English language as it is currently used today. The famous "unabridged" is the latest in the long history of dictionaries directly descended from Noah Webster's original English-language dictionary of 1828.
OED (Oxford English Dictionary) This link opens in a new window
The Oxford English Dictionary is a historical dictionary of English, covering the language from the earliest times to the present day. Entries contain detailed etymological analysis and are illustrated by quotations from a wide range of English language sources from around the world. It is most useful to track how a word's meaning has developed and changed during the time it has been part of the English language.