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Dictionaries
What are words? Here are some general English-language references that will tell you. Most are general; some are topic-specific.
- American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
A “record of English vocabulary as it is used by a broad and diverse group of educated speakers and writers.” - Dictionary.com
The “world’s leading digital dictionary” with supplemental content for “the advanced word lover and . . . student alike.” - Merriam-Webster Online, Dictionary
Main online dictionary from “America’s leading provider of language information for more than 180 years.” - Merriam-Webster Unabridged
The “largest, richest dictionary of American English” for over two hundred years. Detailed etymologies included. - New Oxford American Dictionary
Oxford’s “flagship American dictionary” with “the most comprehensive and accurate coverage” of American English. - Oxford English Dictionary
An “unsurpassed guide” to “words and phrases across the English-speaking world.” Detailed etymology included. - Urban Dictionary
A largely uncensored, often obscene reference to slang, jargon, and things you don’t find in normal dictionaries. - Wiktionary
A “a collaborative project to produce a free-content multilingual dictionary” in English. Also includes etymology and thesaurus.
Quotations
I love a good quote, but stop making up attributions. Do your research. Here are some good places.
- Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
The “most authoritative dictionary of quotations” with “the wit and wisdom of past and present.” - Oxford Essential Quotations
The “most popular and widely used quotations” assembled and verified by Oxford University Press. - Quote Investigator
A website recording “the investigatory work of Garson O’Toole who diligently seeks the truth about quotations.” - Wikiquote
A “free online compendium of sourced quotations from notable people and creative works in every language.”
Style & Usage
General references about English style and usage. Learn the rules so you know when to break them.
Guides marked with this symbol should be used with caution.
The authors of the AP, APA, and MLA styles encourage authors to use obtuse or misleading language in the name of “avoiding bias.” Writers should, of course, avoid unnecessary offense, but being truthful is more important. It is better to write an offensive truth than an inoffensive lie.
The AP style also advises authors to omit the serial (or “Oxford”) comma in most lists. This is a pointless, archaic rule. Its only effect is to make writing less clear.
- AP Stylebook (Associated Press)
A “guide for writers and editors,” especially in the news media. - APA Style (American Psychological Association)
Style information mainly for “psychology, nursing, business, communications, engineering, and related fields.” - Chicago Manual of Style
The “venerable, time-tested guide to” English-language “style, usage, and grammar.” - Elements of Style by William Strunk (1920)
Outdated, public domain version of the venerable writer’s guide. Most of the advice still holds. - Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage
A “comprehensive and authoritative” English-language usage guide that is “international in scope.” - Garner's Modern English Usage
A “comprehensive, reliable, and empirical a guide to current English usage” by Bryan Garner. - MLA Style (Modern Language Assn. of America)
The ‘authorized website on MLA style” and “companion to the MLA Handbook.” - Tangent Style Guide
The best style guide in the world . . . because it’s mine! I’m working on a big expansion.
Thesauruses
At times you possess a term, but you demand a variant rendition. A credible thesaurus can supply a conclusion to this dilemma.
- Merriam-Webster Online, Thesaurus
An “indispensable English language reference” with “millions of synonyms, similar words, and antonyms.” - Pocket Oxford American Thesaurus
A thesaurus that “stands on the shoulders of the colossal Oxford English Corpus.” - Thesaurus.com
The “premier thesaurus on the web” with “over 550,000 synonyms and a suite of tools that simplify the writing process.” - Wiktionary
A “a collaborative project to produce a free-content multilingual dictionary” in English. Also includes etymology and thesaurus.