Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition, Jacketed Hardcover, Indexed

Please note: almost every negative review on this web-page is for the Kindle version while reviews and ratings for the book soar! I don't understand why Amazon lists the Kindle version along with the paper copy. These are two different products and should be rated and reviewed separately. If listed separately, the ratings for this book would be nearly 10.0!Although I hardly use the bundled software download for Windows it seems to work well and appears to contain the entire book. The free subscription is a nice bonus.The following review is for the hardcover book only, which is available in a number of different bindings, with tab index, or plain edge, with flashy dust jacket, or laminated graphic hardcover, and even one with a faux-leather covering. There is one with a CD, which has been superseded by the free bundled download version (access key is inside the book). Not all bindings are promoted equally on Amazon, but if you search with the right ISBN you should receive the style you want. Again, Amazon is remiss for not listing the different ISBNs and their respective editions all in one convenient place.After all these years (106!) the Merriam-Webster Collegiate keeps on getting better. The 11th edition is another masterly revision with sharper printing, clean typography, and hundreds of crisp new line drawings. It's now a more beautiful book than ever--one that begs to be used.The bright red mylar-laminated boards may not have the same appeal as the older cloth binding, but the book seems to be holding up fine with my daily use. The adhesive spine is now more flexible and allows better viewing into the gutter margin. The rear end-paper no longer displays the table of pronunciation, as in previous editions, so I photocopied the table from page 40a and oh-so-carefully pasted it inside the rear cover. I hope the publisher will restore the printed end-papers in future print runs, even if it means having to pay a few cents more. One other annoyance is the very small type size used for the tables. These tables are well done and very sharply printed, and there are plenty of them, but I find myself groping for the magnifying glass to read them. All of the tables have plenty of white space and could be printed a bit larger without taking up more space. But these are mere quibbles.I've used this Merriam-Webster 11th edition (2012) for over a year and its excellence is evident throughout. I find its wide coverage of drugs and chemicals impressive. I had forgotten what some of my prescription drugs were for. The Collegiate 11th told me. Food additives, vitamins, supplements, the latest words from the life sciences, such as epigenome and transgenetic are all there. One will also stumble across the occasional goofy neologism such as staycation and helicopter-parent, along with all the philosophical and ink-horn terms, idioms, and slang that one expects to find in a fine dictionary.The front matter, those introductory articles most people never bother to read, are some of the most beautifully written expository prose I've ever read, and there's a generous helping, too. This is highly polished, human-edited prose about the history of the English Language, how the dictionary came to be written, how entries are crafted, and how to use the book to best advantage. It's written especially so the intelligent layperson can understand and appreciate the richness of this fabulous book. These articles alone are worth the price of the book.Yes indeed, the art of lexicography is truly alive and well at Merriam-Webster. Kudos to all the folks in Springfield, CT, who made this fine edition possible. I'll be watching for the 12th edition.

I had the 9th edition years ago. Glad the 11th Edition is available at amazon since our local bookstore no longer sell these. One of the best characteristics of the MW Collegiate Dictionary I like the most is its use of precise terms to define entries (head words). It efficiently eliminates the need for lengthy explanation, making the definition concise yet full. A consequence of that, however, is that you may need to look up further entries. To take one example, the definition of "feng shui," (1797), included the word "geomancy," which led to "divination". They were terms I needed to look up as well because I didn't know them. Seems like extra work but its a dictionary after all, and the result was I got a fuller understanding of the meaning. See the attached photos.The other thing I like is that, after the dictionary gives a phrasal definition, it will also present a synonymous cross reference, if available. This expands one's vocabulary significantly. An example, "milksop," (14th century) has a phrasal definition and a single word cross reference having its own separate entry: "mollycoddle" (1833). You may not find this connection in other dictionaries. See the attached photos. The date of the word's first known printed occurrence was pretty interesting, too!Given its excellent quality I wished it carried more entries. I wouldn't mind the extra weight. Besides, the book was so affordable that you can't go wrong with it. Just about the only thing going against it might be the size of the typeface, which may require one to use reading glasses. I'm already using it so it's not an issue for me. As one of the trustworthy sources of definitions I've come to rely on, Merriam -Webster Collegiate Dictionaries do not disappoint.