The most entertaining book about words you can find! The Word-Lover's Lexicon offers... - Nearly 2,000 words, including the ones you meant to look up but didn't (fractious, limpid, overweening); interesting concepts and unusual practices (duende, nepenthe, couvade); things you didn't know the names for (tragus, plinth, chalaza); words you may never have seen before (menhir, callipygian, eructation); and much, much more. - Witty, elegant, and quirky quotations from literature and journalism: dazzling examples of the words in use, by our most skillful writers. - Vintage illustrations, jokes, and anecdotes. - A list of "The Ones You Really Should Know." The Lexicon groups related words together instead of just listing them alphabetically. Among the categories: words that name personality types; "Things You Don't Run Into Every Day"; foreign words and phrases; Shakespearean vocabulary; and terminology from architecture, art, music, law, and religion. Whether you're a writer, a reader, a teacher, a Scrabble player, or just someone who enjoys language, you'll find delights on every page of The Word-Lover's Lexicon . A great book for your bedside table-and the perfect gift for the word-lover in your life.