Research Guides: English Language and Literature: Home

Reference Librarian

Sarah Nakashima

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References Sources

New Oxford American Dictionary
An authoritative dictionary of contemporary American English.
Oxford Dictionary of English
A single-volume condensation of the authoritative Oxford English Dictionary.

Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Online
The Oxford English Dictionary is the preeminent historical dictionary of the English language. The OED Online contains the complete text of the 20-volume Second Edition, first published in 1989, together with its 3-volume Additions Series, published in 1993 (volumes 1 and 2) and 1997 (volume 3).

Oxford Paperback Thesaurus
This new edition includes thousands of brand-new words and senses, as well as up-to-date encyclopedic information, and extensive appendices covering topics such as countries, heads of state, and chemical elements.
Pocket Oxford American Thesaurus
This second edition contains more than 15,000 main entries and more than 350,000 synonyms and antonyms, with sample sentences or phrases for virtually every sense.
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
This third edition has been greatly expanded with the addition of antonyms and several hundred new headwords.

Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology
Based on The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Etymology contains a wealth of information about the English language and its history.
New Dictionary of Eponyms
This dictionary provides the histories behind hundreds of eponyms (words formed from names): words such as bowdlerize, from the censorious Thomas Bowdler; bikini from the atoll; and the Salisbury steak, named after an English physician.
New Oxford Dictionary for Scientific Writers and Editors
This dictionary provides scientists, science writers, and editors with a clear style guide for the presentation of scientific information. In over 9,700 entries, it reflects widely accepted usage and follows the recommendations of international scientific bodies such as IUPAC and IUPAP. It gives clear guidance on such matters as spellings (American and British English), punctuation, abbreviations, prefixes and suffixes, units and quantities, and symbols.
Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms
This dictionary contains entries for over 6,000 idioms, including 700 entirely new entries. These include a range of recently established idioms such as ‘the elephant in the corner’, ‘go figure’, ‘like a rat up a drainpipe’, ‘sex on legs’, ‘step up to the plate’, ‘too posh to push’, ‘a walk in the park’, ‘win ugly’.
Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang
Drawing on the Oxford English Dictionary and offering coverage of over 6,000 slang words and expressions, this is an authoritative dictionary of slang from the 20th and 21st centuries. It contains expressions from around the English-speaking world.
Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
This dictionary contains over 1,100 of the most widely used proverbs in English.
Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes
This dictionary contains rhymes for 45,000 words, including proper names, place names, and foreign terms used in English.
Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins
This dictionary describes the origins and development of over 3,000 words and phrases in the English language, and it relates the stories behind many of our most curious terms and expressions. Also featured are special entries that cover expressions common in English but drawn from other languages.

Contemporary Authors
Provides complete biographical and bibliographical information and references on more than 120,000 U.S. and international authors.
Dictionary of Literary Biography (DLB) Complete Online
More than 16,000 biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres.
Comprised of the award-winning Dictionary of Literary Biography series, which over its 30-year history has been dedicated to making literature and its creators better understood and more accessible to students and interested readers, DLB Complete Online includes the DLB main series, the DLB Documentary Series, and the DLB Yearbook Series - all delivered in an easy-to-use 24/7 online format that matches the exact look and feel of the print originals.

Australian Oxford Dictionary
An authoritative guide to contemporary Australian English.
Canadian Oxford Dictionary
The dictionary combines coverage of international English with information on English as it is used in Canada.
New Zealand Oxford Dictionary
This dictionary is the first large-scale English dictionary especially prepared for New Zealand users.

Concise Oxford Companion to The English Language
With contributions from more than 130 experts, the language is viewed from an international perspective and a broad historical range. Substantial entries are given on key subjects such as American and British differences, computing, etymology, pidgin, poetry, sexism, Shakespeare's language, and slang.
Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style
Answers questions about usage and style in modern American English.
Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar
This dictionary contains 1,000 grammatical terms and their meanings. All the currently accepted terms of grammar are included, as well as older, traditional names, controversial new coinages, and items from the study of other languages.

Related Subjects

Use these research guides for disciplines related to English.