PREFACE.

The first edition of this work, which is mainly an abridgment of the * AMERICAN DICtIoNaRY of Dr. WEBSter, was published in 1848, under the editorial care of Dr. Webster's son, Mr. WILLIAM G. WEBSTER, who, nine years later, or in 1857, prepared a very careful revision and improvement of the same.

The design, as stated by Mr. Webster in the Preface to the latter edition, was "to furnish a vocabulary of the more common words which constitute the body of our language, with many technical terms in the sciences and arts."

With the view of bringing it in all important respects into conformity with the revised edition of the American Dictionary published in 186+, the work has now been reviewed and corrected throughout by the sub-scriber, who has availed himself of the opportunity thus presenter to introduce several new features, although he has adhered to the general plan of the previous editions.

Of the additions which have been made,

the most important are the Principles of Pronunciation and the Rules for Spelling, in the Introduction, and, in the Appendix, the pronouncing vocabularies of Greek and Latin Names, of Scripture Names, and of Modern Biographical Names, the pronouncing and explanatory list of Christian Names, the explanatory table of Arbitrary Signs used in Writing and Printing, and the list of Prefixes and Suffixes.

Distributed throughout the Dictionary are upward of 300 wood-cuts, skillfully engraved, and designed to serve not as mere embellishments of the book, but as veritable illustrations of the words under which they are given. The vocabulary has been considerably enlarged, and now comprises an aggregate of nearly 27,000 words, all of which are in current or occasional use at the present day. To many of the words are attached numerical references to the principles of pronunciation or the rules of orthography which these words exemplify.

Etymologies have now and then been introduced in the hope of attracting the attention of young students, and of stimulating in them a desire to learn more of the origin, structure, and affinities of our language.

In the hands of an accomplished teacher, this volume may be made highly useful in schools, since it furnishes material for a valuable course of exercises on words, including their orthography, pronunciation, definition, composition, syllabication, and the like.

WILLIAM A. WHEELER.

DORCHESTER, MAsSACHUsEtTs, March, 1868.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868. By G. & C. MERRIAM, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

CONTENTS:

KEY TO THE PRONUNCIATION PRINCIPLES OF PRONUNCIATION

RULES FOR SPELLING CERTAIN CLASSES OF WORDS ABBREVIATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS

A DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

APPENDIX.

GREEK AND LATIN PROPER NAMES SCRIPTURE PROPER NAMES

CHRISTIAN NAMES OF MEN AND WOMEN

MODERN GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES MODERN BIOGRAPHICAL NAMES

PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES

ABBREVIATIONS

METRIC SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

ARBITRARY SIGNS.

WORDS, PHRASES, ETC., FROM THE GREEK, THE LATIN, AND MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS