There are countless Etymology courses, tutorials, articles available online, but for some, having a book is still a necessity to learn. This is an up-to-date list of recommended books.
- The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language (2012)
- Dictionary of Word Origins: The Histories of More Than 8,000 English-Language Words (2011)
- Learn Spanish via Etymologies: The Addictive Way To Learn Spanish Quickly (2018)
- English Words from Latin and Greek Elements (1986)
- The Oxford Guide to Etymology (2011)
- The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology (Oxford Quick Reference) (1993)
- Ingles Elemental Ilustrado-Libro Segundo (Spanish Edition) (2008)
- Mer to Moor: Kemet until Now: The Etymology, Phonology, Semantics and Morphology of the Word Moor (Moor what they didn’t Teach You in Black History Class) (Volume 4) (2016)
- Studies in Etymology, 2nd Edition (2008)
- Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins (Oxford Quick Reference) (2010)
- Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th Edition (Book & Audio CD) (2009)
The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language (2012)
you know why a mortgage is literally a “death pledge”? Why guns have girls’ names? Why “salt” is related to “soldier”? Discover the answers to all of these etymological questions and more in this fascinating book for fans of The Etymologicon is a completely unauthorized guide to the strange underpinnings of the English language.
Dictionary of Word Origins: The Histories of More Than 8,000 English-Language Words (2011)
Written in a clear and informative style, the more than 8,000 articles reveal the origins of and links between some of the most common English-language words. What is the link between map and apron, acrobat and oxygen, zeal and jealousy, flour and pollen, secret and crime?Did you know that crimson originally comes from the name of tiny scale insects, the kermes, from whose dried bodies a red dyestuff is made? That Yankee began as a nickname for Dutchmen?
Learn Spanish via Etymologies: The Addictive Way To Learn Spanish Quickly (2018)
This new method to learn Spanish makes each word come alive in your mind.
English Words from Latin and Greek Elements (1986)
Donald Ayers' English Words from Latin and Greek Elements has helped thousands of students to a broader vocabulary by showing them how to recognize classical roots in modern English words. Its second edition, published in 1986, has confirmed that vocabulary is best taught by root, not rote.
The Oxford Guide to Etymology (2011)
This practical introduction to word history investigates every aspect of where words come from and how they change. Philip Durkin, chief etymologist of the Oxford English Dictionary, shows how different types of evidence can shed light on the myriad ways in which words change in form and meaning.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology (Oxford Quick Reference) (1993)
Where did the words bungalow and assassin derive? What did nice mean in the Middle Ages? How were adder, anger, and umpire originally spelled? The answers can be found in this essential companion to any popular dictionary. With over 17,000 entries, this is the most authoritative and comprehensive guide to word origins available in paperback.
Ingles Elemental Ilustrado-Libro Segundo (Spanish Edition) (2008)
Paperback: 104 pages Publisher: Govill Publishers (June 20, 2008) Language: Spanish ISBN-10: 1880196034 ISBN-13: 978-1880196038 Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces Average Customer Review: Be the first to review this item Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,098,284 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #3573 in Etymology (Books) #20760 in English as a Second Language Instruction #27806 in Foreign Dictionaries & Thesauruses Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
Mer to Moor: Kemet until Now: The Etymology, Phonology, Semantics and Morphology of the Word Moor (Moor what they didn’t Teach You in Black History Class) (Volume 4) (2016)
The Etymology, Phonology, Semantics and Morphology of the word Moor from Ancient Times. Hieroglyphics begins to take on a lettering system in the form of an upper Kemetic Script known as Proto- Sinatic or Ancient Moabite/Cannanite from which the Greek, Roman, Latin and English Alphabet are derived. Ancient words that have been passed down through this script still hold the intrinsic meanings of those letters and have been preserved in secret societies for ages.
Studies in Etymology, 2nd Edition (2008)
Studies in Etymology is a textbook for a course or self study in building vocabulary through an understanding of Latin and Greek roots and the grammar of word formation.
Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins (Oxford Quick Reference) (2010)
Combining both accessibility and authority, The Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins describes the origins and development of over 3,000 words and phrases in the English language. The book draws on Oxford’s unrivalled dictionary research program and language monitoring, and relates the fascinating stories behind many of our most curious terms and expressions in order to offer the reader a much more detailed explanation than can be found in a general English dictionary.
Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th Edition (Book & Audio CD) (2009)
A classic developmental skills text for intermediate to advanced students of English, Understanding and Using English Grammar is a comprehensive reference grammar as well as a stimulating and teachable classroom text. While keeping the same basic approach and material as in earlier editions, the Fourth Edition more fully develops communicative and interactive language-learning activities. Some of the new features are:
Best Etymology Books Worth Your Attention
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Library Genesis and download some etymology books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
Dunmore and Fleischer's Medical Terminology: Exercises in Etymology
Author(s): Cheryl Walker-Esbaugh, Laine H. McCarthy, Rhonda A. Sparks
ID: 3603528, Publisher: F.A. Davis Company, Year: 2023, Size: 45 Mb, Format: epub
Ancient and Medieval Greek Etymology: Theory and Practice I
Author(s): Arnaud Zucker; Claire Le Feuvre
ID: 2914590, Publisher: de Gruyter, Year: 2021, Size: 2 Mb, Format: pdf
Strange to Say: Etymology as Serious Entertainment
Author(s): Deborah Warren
ID: 3595741, Publisher: Paul Dry Books, Year: 2021, Size: 917 Kb, Format: epub
Please note that this booklist is not errorless. Some books are really best-sellers according to Washington Post, others are drafted by unknown writers. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant links you could recommend? Drop a comment if you have any feedback on the list.