Oxford English Dictionary

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class="callToAction">Find out more about OED</a> </div> </div> <div class="row featuresRow"> <div class="wrapper"> <div class="feature"> <h2>Understanding entries</h2> <p><p>Glossaries, abbreviations, pronunciation guides, frequency, symbols, and more</p> </p> <a href="/information/understanding-entries/" class="callToAction">Explore resources</a> </div> <div class="feature"> <h2>Personal account</h2> <p><p>Change display settings, save searches and purchase subscriptions</p> </p> <a href="/information/get-help-with-access/individual-account/" class="callToAction">Account features</a> </div> <div class="feature"> <h2>Getting started</h2> <p><p>Videos and guides about how to use the new OED website</p> </p> <a href="/information/using-the-oed/how-to-getting-started-guides/" class="callToAction">Read our guides</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row wordy"> <div class="wrapper"> <div class="recent"> <h2>Recently added</h2> <ul> <li> <a href="/dictionary/stop-start_adj">stop-start</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/bump-stock_n">bump stock</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/anaemiated_adj">anaemiated</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/flip-over_n">flip-over</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/coreceptor_n">coreceptor</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/anti-party_adj">anti-party</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/winding-hole_n2">winding hole</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/tadcu_n">tadcu</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/baby-hair_n">baby hair</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/indo-european_n2">Indo-European</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/covalent_adj">covalent</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/smooth-talk_n">smooth talk</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/windjam_v">windjam</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/ych-a-fi_int">ych a fi</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/megadrought_n">megadrought</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/backfat_n">backfat</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="wotd"> <h2>Word of the day</h2> <h3> <a href="/dictionary/polisson_n">polisson</a> </h3> <div class="wotdPos">noun</div> <div class="wotdDef">An urchin, a rascal; a dishonest or rude person.</div>  </div> <div class="trending"> <h2>Recently updated</h2> <ul> <li> <a href="/dictionary/themed_adj">themed</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/amine_n">amine</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/bunfight_n">bunfight</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/elfic_adj">elfic</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/core_n1">core</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/careen_n">careen</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/degener_v">degener</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/co-regent_n">co-regent</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/arguable_adj">arguable</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/beer-can_n">beer can</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/barcode_n">barcode</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/cheaping_n">cheaping</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/edgily_adv">edgily</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/beerless_adj">beerless</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/thrymsa_n">thrymsa</a> </li> <li> <a href="/dictionary/kin_n2">kin</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row rowForEditableContentPanels"> <div class="wrapper"> <div class="editableContentPanels"> <a href="/discover/word-stories" class="contentPanel"> <div class="contentPanelHead"> <img src="https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/com.idmgroup.oed100.sounds.prod/wp-content/uploads/Book-books-information-reading-355x160.jpg" alt="A pile of books"></img> </div> <div class="contentPanelBody"> <h2>Word stories</h2> <p>Read our collection of word stories detailing the etymology and semantic development of a wide range of words, including ‘dungarees’, ‘codswallop’, and ‘witch’.</p> </div> </a> <a href="/discover/word-lists" class="contentPanel"> <div class="contentPanelHead"> <img src="https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/com.idmgroup.oed100.sounds.prod/wp-content/uploads/Antedatings2-scaled-e1688135294767-355x160.jpg" alt="A wooden tray with letters"></img> </div> 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<h2>History of English</h2> <p>Here you can find a series of commentaries on the History of English, charting the history of the English language from Old English to the present day.</p> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </main>  <footer> <div class="wrapper"> <div class="footerMain"> <div class="footerLinks"> <div> <ul> <li><a href="/information/about-the-oed">About OED</a></li> <li><a href="/thesaurus/start">Historical Thesaurus</a></li> <li><a href="/information/editorial-policy">Editorial policy</a></li> <li><a href="/information/updates">Updates</a></li> <li><a href="/information/institutional-account-management">Institutional account management</a></li> </ul> </div> <div> <ul> <li><a href="/information/using-the-oed">How to use the OED</a></li> <li><a href="/information/purchasing">Purchasing</a></li> <li><a href="/information/get-help-with-access">Help with access</a></li> <li><a href="/discover/world-englishes">World Englishes</a></li> <li><a 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Oxford English Dictionary