Words are the building blocks of language, but their derivations are often stories in themselves. Have you ever wondered why we wear perfume, read magazines, vote for candidates, speak in jargon? With entries from Accolade to Zoo and including such disparate items as Blackmail, Fiasco, Influence and Rigmarole, Dictionary of Word Origins explains the origins and development of 300 commonly used words. Essays scattered throughout the book deal with more general topics such as A Taste of India, Days of the Week and Precise Timing and allow the authors to expand on broader themes.

Author Biography

Linda Flavell has a degree in modern languages and subsequent qualifications in secondary and primary teaching. Roger, who died in December 2005, had many years' experience working for London University's Institute of Education, concerned latterly with education and international development, and with online education. The Flavells' other books for Kyle Cathie are A Dictionary of English Down the Ages and Dictionary of Proverbs and Dictionary of Idioms, which are also available in a recently revised edition.