Dr. Jun WangGoleman Library

An Introduction to An Introduction to

What Is OED?What Is OED?• An online dictionary like no other with– 600,000 words from the English speaking world– Pronunciation guide– Etymology (the origin and the historical development

of a word)– Definitions with thesaurus and categories– Examples of words used in sentences– Links to definitions in other dictionaries– Available to us 24/7 both on or off campus

• Widely regarded as the authority on the English Language

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Expected Learning Outcomes

• The workshop attendees will be able to – Find definitions, pronunciation, synonyms, and

etymology of a new word in OED and learn how the word is used in sentences in different periods of time

– Browse the Historical Thesaurus to find related terms or the lexical history of a word or concept

– Personalize the dictionary by creating a profile in OED online, setting preferences in My OED, saving the entries and searches conducted for future study or review, and managing My OED, a personalized dictionary within the dictionary

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• Quick Search• Browse Historical Thesaurus• Develop Personal Profile

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Quick Search

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Choice of display

Click to learn how to pronounce the word

Word origin and development

Abbreviation for Middle English

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Citation—Cont. 7

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Abbreviation Symbols

• Available at the following websites:– http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~braun/personal/study/

oed-abbr.html#m– http://www.oed.com/public/abbreviations

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Senses: Meanings recorded in a dictionary, etc.

Lemmas: A word, compound, phrase, or derivative—covered in a dictionary entry

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My OED: Potential Benefits

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• http://www.oed.com/public/personalize/my-oed/

Learn More about the OED

• http://www.oed.com/public/whatis

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