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Oxford English Dictionary

The historical English dictionary

An unsurpassed guide for researchers in any discipline to the meaning, history, and usage of over 500,000 words and phrases across the English-speaking world.

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Word of the day

seshweshwe

noun
A type of printed cotton fabric, originally dyed with indigo but now available in various colours, featuring intricate, usually geometric, patterns and typically used for traditional Southern African clothes or accessories.

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Word stories

Read our collection of word stories detailing the etymology and semantic development of a wide range of words, including ‘dungarees’, ‘codswallop’, and ‘witch’.
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Access our word lists and commentaries on an array of fascinating topics, from film-based coinages to Tex-Mex terms.
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World Englishes

Explore our World Englishes hub and access our resources on the varieties of English spoken throughout the world by people of diverse cultural backgrounds.
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History of English

Here you can find a series of commentaries on the History of English, charting the history of the English language from Old English to the present day.