Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • The Oxford English Dictionary (OED): A comprehensive, unabridged dictionary of the English language, renowned for its historical approach. It traces the historical development of words, providing detailed etymologies and chronological quotations to illustrate changes in meaning and usage over time.

Usage

• The term "Oxford English Dictionary" is used as a singular proper noun to refer to this specific, authoritative lexical resource.
• It is often preceded by the definite article "the."
• Example:

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Oxford English Dictionary is considered the definitive record of the English language.
  • Her thesis relied heavily on quotations found in the Oxford English Dictionary.
  • Updating the Oxford English Dictionary is a continuous process.

Advanced Usage

• "To OED a word" (informal, rare): To look up a word in the OED, especially to investigate its history.
  • I had to OED the term "semantics" to understand its original philosophical context.

Variants and Related Words

• OED: The common initialism for the Oxford English Dictionary.
  • The OED Online is an invaluable digital resource.
• Unabridged: Not shortened or condensed; complete. (A key characteristic of the OED).
• Historical linguistics: The study of language change over time, which is the foundational principle of the OED's methodology.

Synonyms

• Lexicon: The vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge (can refer to a dictionary, especially one for a specialized subject).
• Dictionary: A book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language and gives their meaning, or the equivalent words in a different language. (The OED is a specific type of dictionary).

Notes

• The "Oxford English Dictionary" is a single, specific entity. It is not used as a common noun to refer to any dictionary published by Oxford University Press (e.g., the or the are different publications).
• Its defining characteristic is its construction "on historical principles," meaning it documents the full history of a word from its first recorded use.

Noun

1. an unabridged dictionary constructed on historical principles