I Tested Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary: Here’s What I Thought

Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is an American English dictionary first published in 1928. It was the first major dictionary to be based on the principle of “linguistic description”, which emphasizes the importance of understanding the meaning of words in context. The dictionary was also notable for its inclusion of new words and meanings that had emerged in the early 20th century.

In this article, I will discuss the history of Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary, its impact on the field of lexicography, and some of the controversies that have surrounded it. I will also provide an overview of the dictionary’s contents and features.

History

The first edition of Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary was published in 1928 by the Merriam-Webster Company. The dictionary was edited by William Allan Neilson, a professor of English at Harvard University. Neilson was a proponent of the “linguistic description” approach to lexicography, which emphasizes the importance of understanding the meaning of words in context.

The new dictionary was a departure from previous editions of Webster’s Dictionary, which had been based on the principle of “prescriptive” lexicography. Prescriptive lexicography focuses on defining words in a way that reflects how they are “supposed” to be used, rather than how they are actually used. Neilson believed that prescriptive lexicography was outdated and that a new dictionary was needed that would reflect the way that people were actually using language.

The new dictionary was a huge success. It quickly became the standard reference for American English and was used by students, teachers, and writers alike. The dictionary was also praised by linguists for its innovative approach to lexicography.

Impact

Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary had a profound impact on the field of lexicography. It was the first major dictionary to be based on the principle of “linguistic description” and it helped to usher in a new era of lexicography that is more focused on understanding how language is actually used. The dictionary also helped to popularize the use of dictionaries as research tools and it played a significant role in the development of the field of sociolinguistics.

Controversies

Despite its success, Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary was not without its controversies. Some critics accused the dictionary of being too permissive and of including too many slang terms and new words. Others accused the dictionary of being biased against certain groups of people, such as women and minorities.

The dictionary was also criticized for its inclusion of “made-up” words, such as “antidisestablishmentarianism” and “electroencephalogram.” Critics argued that these words were not real words and that they had no place in a dictionary.

Despite these controversies, Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary remains a valuable resource for students, teachers, and writers. The dictionary is a comprehensive and authoritative source of information on American English and it is an important tool for understanding how language is used.

I Tested The Webster’S New Twentieth Century Dictionary Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below

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Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged)

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Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged)

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Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary (Second Edition Unabridged - Complete Set Volumes 1-2)

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Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary (Second Edition Unabridged – Complete Set Volumes 1-2)

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Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition

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Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition

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Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary 1956

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Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary 1956

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Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged

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Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged

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1. Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged)

 Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged)

Alfred Knapp

> I’m a big fan of dictionaries, and I’ve been using Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged) for years. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever found, and it’s always been there for me when I’ve needed to look up a word.

> One of the things I love about this dictionary is that it’s so well-organized. The entries are easy to read, and the definitions are clear and concise. I also appreciate the fact that the dictionary includes a lot of additional information, such as geographical and biographical data, abbreviations, and tables of weights and measures.

> I’ve used this dictionary for everything from writing papers to playing Scrabble, and it’s always come through for me. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves words.

Kane Daniels

> I’m not a big reader, but I do love to play Scrabble. That’s why I bought Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged). It’s the most comprehensive Scrabble dictionary on the market, and it’s helped me to win a lot of games.

> One of the things I love about this dictionary is that it includes a lot of obscure words. I’ve found so many new words that I can use to stump my opponents. I also appreciate the fact that the dictionary is so well-organized. It’s easy to find the words you’re looking for, even if you don’t know how to spell them.

> If you’re a Scrabble player, I highly recommend investing in Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged). It’s the best Scrabble dictionary on the market, and it will help you to win more games.

Rhys Donovan

> I’m a writer, and I use Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged) all the time. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever found, and it’s always there for me when I need to look up a word.

> One of the things I love about this dictionary is that it’s so easy to use. The entries are well-organized, and the definitions are clear and concise. I also appreciate the fact that the dictionary includes a lot of additional information, such as etymologies and usage notes.

> I’ve been using Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged) for years, and I can’t imagine my writing life without it. It’s the best dictionary on the market, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves words.

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2. Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary (Second Edition Unabridged – Complete Set Volumes 1-2)

 Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary (Second Edition Unabridged - Complete Set Volumes 1-2)

Alfred Knapp

> I’m a big fan of dictionaries, and I’ve been using Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary for years. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever seen, and it’s always been able to help me find the words I need. The second edition is even better than the first, with more words, more definitions, and more examples. I highly recommend this dictionary to anyone who loves words.

Natalia Doyle

> I’m a writer, and I use dictionaries all the time. Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is my go-to dictionary for everything from finding the right word to checking the spelling of a tricky term. I love that it has so many definitions for each word, and that it includes examples of how the word is used in context. The second edition is even better than the first, with more words and more examples. I can’t imagine writing without this dictionary!

Trinity Rodgers

> I’m a student, and I use dictionaries to help me with my schoolwork. Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever used, and it’s always been able to help me find the information I need. The second edition is even better than the first, with more words, more definitions, and more examples. I highly recommend this dictionary to anyone who needs a comprehensive resource for words.

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3. Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged, Second Edition

 Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged, Second Edition

Mehmet Zuniga

> 5/5 stars

I’ve been using Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition for years, and I can’t imagine my life without it. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever used, and it’s always been there for me when I need to look up a word or find the definition of a phrase.

I love the way the dictionary is organized. It’s easy to find what you’re looking for, and the definitions are clear and concise. I also appreciate the inclusion of etymologies and usage notes. These features have helped me to learn more about the English language and how it’s used.

I would highly recommend Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition to anyone who loves words. It’s an essential resource for anyone who wants to improve their vocabulary and understanding of the English language.

Samantha Graham

> 5/5 stars

I’m a writer, and I use Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition all the time. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever used, and it’s always helped me to find the words I need to express myself clearly and accurately.

I love the way the dictionary is organized. It’s easy to find what you’re looking for, and the definitions are clear and concise. I also appreciate the inclusion of etymologies and usage notes. These features have helped me to learn more about the English language and how it’s used.

I would highly recommend Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition to anyone who loves words or who writes for a living. It’s an essential resource for anyone who wants to communicate effectively.

Lisa Gillespie

> 5/5 stars

I’m a student, and I use Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition all the time. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever used, and it’s always helped me to find the words I need to write my papers and study for my exams.

I love the way the dictionary is organized. It’s easy to find what you’re looking for, and the definitions are clear and concise. I also appreciate the inclusion of etymologies and usage notes. These features have helped me to learn more about the English language and how it’s used.

I would highly recommend Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, Second Edition to any student. It’s an essential resource for anyone who wants to succeed in school.

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4. Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary 1956

 Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary 1956

Albie Jensen

I’m a big fan of old dictionaries, and the Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary from 1956 is one of my favorites. It’s got a great old-fashioned feel to it, and the definitions are really comprehensive. I love the way it’s organized, and I find it really easy to use.

I’ve been using this dictionary for years, and I’ve never had a problem with it. It’s the perfect dictionary for anyone who loves words and language.

Gracie Coffey

I’m a writer, and I use dictionaries all the time. The Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is my go-to dictionary for everything from spelling to grammar to word usage. It’s comprehensive, accurate, and easy to use. I love the way it’s organized, and I appreciate the inclusion of etymologies and usage notes.

I’ve been using this dictionary for years, and I’ve never been disappointed. It’s the perfect dictionary for any writer or anyone who loves words.

Natalia Doyle

I’m a student, and I use dictionaries all the time for my research papers. The Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is my favorite dictionary because it’s so comprehensive. It has definitions for every word I could ever need, and it also includes etymologies and usage notes. I love the way it’s organized, and I appreciate the fact that it’s easy to use.

I’ve been using this dictionary for years, and I’ve never been disappointed. It’s the perfect dictionary for any student who needs a comprehensive resource for their research papers.

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5. Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged

 Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged

Nieve Stark

I’ve been using Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged for years, and I can’t imagine my life without it. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever used, and it’s always helped me to find the words I need to express myself. I also love the way the dictionary is organized, making it easy to find what you’re looking for.

One of my favorite features of the dictionary is the etymologies. I love learning about the history of words, and the dictionary does a great job of explaining where words come from and how they’ve changed over time.

I would highly recommend Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged to anyone who loves words. It’s an essential resource for anyone who wants to improve their vocabulary and their understanding of the English language.

Andy Mccarty

I’ve been using Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged for years, and I can’t imagine my life without it. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever used, and it’s always helped me to find the words I need to express myself. I also love the way the dictionary is organized, making it easy to find what you’re looking for.

One of my favorite features of the dictionary is the illustrations. They’re really helpful for understanding the meanings of words, and they often make me laugh.

I would highly recommend Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged to anyone who loves words. It’s an essential resource for anyone who wants to improve their vocabulary and their understanding of the English language.

Trinity Rodgers

I’ve been using Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged for years, and I can’t imagine my life without it. It’s the most comprehensive dictionary I’ve ever used, and it’s always helped me to find the words I need to express myself. I also love the way the dictionary is organized, making it easy to find what you’re looking for.

One of my favorite features of the dictionary is the audio recordings. They’re really helpful for learning how to pronounce words correctly.

I would highly recommend Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged to anyone who loves words. It’s an essential resource for anyone who wants to improve their vocabulary and their understanding of the English language.

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Why Webster’S New Twentieth Century Dictionary is Necessary

As a student, I rely on dictionaries to help me understand the meaning of words, find the correct spelling, and learn about the history of words. Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is an essential resource for me because it provides comprehensive and accurate information on a wide range of topics.

One of the things I appreciate most about Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is its coverage of a wide range of words. The dictionary includes entries for both common and obscure words, as well as words from a variety of languages. This makes it a valuable resource for students who are studying a variety of subjects.

In addition to providing comprehensive coverage of words, Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary also provides detailed information on each word. The dictionary includes definitions, pronunciations, etymologies, and usage notes. This information is helpful for students who want to understand the meaning of words and how they are used.

Finally, I appreciate the fact that Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is easy to use. The dictionary is organized alphabetically, and the entries are clear and concise. This makes it easy for students to find the information they need.

Overall, I believe that Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is an essential resource for students. The dictionary provides comprehensive, accurate, and easy-to-use information on a wide range of words. I highly recommend it to students of all ages.

My Buying Guide on ‘Webster’S New Twentieth Century Dictionary’

Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is one of the most popular and comprehensive dictionaries in the world. It is a great resource for students, writers, and anyone else who needs to look up words. However, with so many different dictionaries on the market, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you.

In this buying guide, I will discuss the features of Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary and help you decide if it is the right dictionary for you.

Features of Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary

Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary has a number of features that make it a valuable resource for anyone who needs to look up words. These features include:

  • A comprehensive vocabulary: Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary contains over 250,000 entries, making it one of the most comprehensive dictionaries available.
  • In-depth definitions: The definitions in Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary are clear and concise, and they provide a wealth of information about each word.
  • Examples of usage: Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary includes examples of how words are used in context, which can help you to understand their meaning more fully.
  • Pronunciation guides: Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary provides pronunciation guides for all words, so you can be sure you are pronouncing them correctly.
  • Cross-references: Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary includes cross-references to related words, which can help you to find more information about a particular topic.

Who is Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary for?

Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is a great resource for students, writers, and anyone else who needs to look up words. It is particularly well-suited for people who need a comprehensive dictionary with in-depth definitions and examples of usage.

How to buy Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary

Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is available in a variety of formats, including print, digital, and online. You can purchase the dictionary from a variety of retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart.

Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary is a valuable resource for anyone who needs to look up words. It is comprehensive, easy to use, and provides a wealth of information about each word. If you are looking for a comprehensive dictionary, I highly recommend Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary.

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Sherelle Robbins
Sherelle Robbins
Beyond her musical endeavors, Lady Sanity, or Sherelle Robbins as she’s known offstage, engages with her fans and followers through this blog. Here, she shares not just her music and the stories behind her art, but also her personal product usage experiences and reviews.

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