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In Viva`s Dictionary of Word Origins, Adrian Room shows, for example, that the word acorn has nothing to do with corn, as commonly supposed. The word is acutally related to acre, which is derived from the Latin ager, meaning “field.” Similarly, a blanket is not called that because it has no pattern-is blank-but because it was originally white and the word came into English from the French blanc. The words belfry, carnation, mosaic, salmonella, and saltcellar have nothing to do with bell, coronation, Moses, salmon, or cellar, but derive from very different origins. Viva`s Dictionary of Word Origins shows what those origins are.
In all, the origins of nearly 1200 words are given. Equally interesting the folk etymologies, or fictional origins, of words like butterfly, sirloin, and Welsh rabbit are also described. Informative and enjoyble, Viva`s Dictionary of Word Origins offers hours of satisfying reading. It is an indispensable reference for all word lovers, librarians, educators, and, in fact, for anyone curious about the origins of English words. ISBN - 9788185617749
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