premier historical dictionary of the English language

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The Compact Oxford English Dictionary (second edition, 1991)
The Oxford English Dictionary
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The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house. The dictionary, which began publication in … Wikipedia
Factsheet
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Factsheet
Country United Kingdom
Language English
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Oxford English Dictionary
oed.com
Oxford English Dictionary
If you are interested in looking up a particular word, the best way to do that is to use the search box at the top of every OED page. Example queries I can run are "Which words in English are borrowed from French?", "Which words were first used by Charles Dickens?" or "How are words added to the dictionary?". I cannot search for synonyms yet, but I’m ready to help with other advanced searches. Give me a try! ... Sign up to receive the Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Day email every day.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org β€Ί dictionary β€Ί english β€Ί oxford
Oxford | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
Oxford definition: 1. a city in south east England, famous for its university 2. a type of fairly formal man's shoe…. Learn more.
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Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries | Find definitions, translations, and grammar explanations at Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
The largest and most trusted free online dictionary for learners of British and American English with definitions, pictures, example sentences, synonyms, antonyms, word origins, audio pronunciation, and more. Look up the meanings of words, abbreviations, phrases, and idioms in our free English ...
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Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com β€Ί dictionary β€Ί oxford
OXFORD Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
city on the Thames River in south central England that is the capital of the county of Oxfordshire and site of the University of Oxford population 160,000 ... Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchβ€”ad free!
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Dictionary.com
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OXFORD Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
Oxford definition: a low shoe laced over the instep.. See examples of OXFORD used in a sentence.
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Collins Dictionary
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OXFORD definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
5 meanings: 1. a city in S England, administrative centre of Oxfordshire, at the confluence of the Rivers Thames and Cherwell:.... Click for more definitions.
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Oxford English Dictionary
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best, v.ΒΉ meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the verb best. See β€˜Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
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Harvard Library
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Oxford English Dictionary | Harvard Library
More than a dictionary, the OED is a comprehensive guide to current and historical word meanings in English. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely accepted as the most complete record of the English language ever assembled.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org
Cambridge Dictionary | English Dictionary, Translations & Thesaurus
The most popular dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English. Meanings and definitions of words with pronunciations and translations.
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App Store
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Oxford Dictionary Learn Words App - App Store
The world's most trusted language reference with 15 powerful dictionaries, including English, millions of word definitions, synonyms, etymology, and more, all in one app. Discover the power of words with the Oxford Dictionary, the definitive ...
Rating: 4.6 ​ - ​ 26.9K votes
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Google Play
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Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus - Apps on Google Play
The dictionaries combine several search tools to match or suggest what you are looking for: β€’ Fuzzy search – find a word even if you don't know exactly how it is spelled β€’ Voice search – lookup a word without having to spell it β€’ Wild card search – use '*' or '?' to replace a letter or entire parts of a word β€’ Search autocomplete – displays predictions as you type β€’ Keyword lookup – search for compound words or phrases β€’ Camera search – look up words without having to type them β€’ Favourites list – create custom folders with lists of words β€’ Auto-correction option
Rating: 4.3 ​ - ​ 534K votes
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Wikipedia
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Oxford English Dictionary - Wikipedia
October 20, 2025 - As a historical dictionary, the Oxford English Dictionary features entries in which the earliest ascertainable recorded sense of a word, whether current or obsolete, is presented first, and each additional sense is presented in historical order according to the date of its earliest ascertainable recorded use. Following each definition are several brief illustrating quotations presented in chronological order from the earliest ascertainable use of the word in that sense to the last ascertainable use for an obsolete sense, to indicate both its life span and the time since its desuetude, or to a relatively recent use for current ones.
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TheFreeDictionary.com
thefreedictionary.com β€Ί best
Best - definition of best by The Free Dictionary
Define best. best synonyms, best pronunciation, best translation, English dictionary definition of best. adj. Superlative of good 1. Surpassing all others in excellence, achievement, or quality; most excellent: the best performer; the best grade ...