English, Dictionaries 

With fifty years of experience in dictionary publishing behind it, Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary is the most definitive single-volume reference of the English language available.  This modern dictionary offers an exhaustive, traditional study of the language, while covering the latest, most important developments--ahead of any other dictionary.Using cutting-edge technology, Random House is able to bring you Newer Words Faster.  The Random House Living Dictionary Database, from which the Random House Unabridged Dictionary was developed, is an immense, revolutionary computerized database for direct, immediate on-line editing.  Dictionary entries can be updated on-screen as required, and most importantly, vital new vocabulary, from science to slang, can be added instantly, the moment it emerges in our language.Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary is designed to meet the wide-ranging needs of today's students and scholars, who study ancient documents one day and surf the Internet the next; of professional writers, who craft poems or write articles for technical journals; of businesspeople, who need to communicate clearly, whether face-to-face or fax-to-fax; and--above all--the needs of word lovers.In addition to standard and specialized vocabulary, this extensive volume contains a wide variety of features, encompassing up-to-date, authoritative factual and encyclopedic information.  It is truly a unique general reference volume for the office, the school, and the entire family.Important Features Include:--A brand-new eight page New-Words Section in the front of the book, with over 1,000 important new words and meanings added at press time, not found in the A-Z section--words like intranet, body piercing, soccer mom, and sport-utility vehicle.*     Over 315,000 entries*     1,500 updated definitions and entries*     2,400 spot maps and illustrations*     Scholarly, up-to-date etymologies, including dates to show when terms entered the        language, and showing clearly labeled Americanisms*     Entries for important and famous people; for places, historical events; major works of        literature, music and art; names and abbreviations of academic, governmental, social,        and fraternal organizations; popular given names; common abbreviations; and       foreign terms*     Entries and definitions for current place names, reflecting recent political and        geographical changes worldwide*     Coverage of major British, Canadian, and Australian terms*     Over 75,000 example phrases and sentences to show how words are used in context*     Metric equivalents for weight, volume, height, distance, etc., included in definitions        and captions*     Endangered species identified*     Comprehensive supplementary notes at many entries, discussing: usage problems,         pronunciations questions, distinctions among synonyms, regional variations and       dialects*     Additional supplementary lists of synonyms, antonyms, words formed from common       prefixes*     Valuable supplements to the dictionary included, in front and back matter*     Sound-spelling Correspondences in English*     A Basic Manual of Style*     Guidelines for avoiding insensitive and offensive language in both writing and        speaking*     List of Words Commonly ConfusedWith fifty years of the finest dictionary-making in the world to offer, Random House brings you Newer Words Faster in this impressive, authoritative reference.MORE COMPREHENSIVEWith over 315,000 entries, the complete vocabulary of the renowned Second Edition of the Random House Unabridged Dictionary is contained in this one volume.  The Language of literature, the terms in your textbooks, and the nuances in your newspapers are all here.MORE COMPACTReformatted in this easier-to-use size, while retaining the full contents, this edition of Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, preserves its extensive and authoritative coverage of modern American English, unmatched in any other single-volume dictionary.  From law, medicine, and computers to art, history, and world geography, it offers a complete reference library in one convenient volume.MORE CURRENTIf it's an important new word, you'll find it here first.  A brand-new eight-page New-Words Section has been included at press time featuring the latest important words and meanings not in the standard A-Z section--terms like Megan's Law, feng shui, home page, and mesclun.  Over 1,500 other entries and definitions have been updated as well.Also included are:  *     New and updated biographical entries  *     Revised geographical entries reflecting the recent changes worldwide  *     2,400 spot maps and illustrations - from Amzon