Reference Online: subscription-based electronic services for English public libraries

Oxford English Dictionary Online

www.oed.com  

The Oxford English Dictionary is widely acknowledged to be the most authoritative and comprehensive dictionary of English in the world. It traces the evolution of more than 600,000 words over the last 1,500 years through 2.5 million quotations from a wide range of sources: from classic literature and periodicals to film scripts and pop songs. 

OED Online offers:

• Unprecedented access to the 20-volume Second Edition and three Additions series volumes
• Quarterly updates comprising at least 2,500 new and revised words
• Learning Resources provide invaluable materials to help integrate the use of the OED Online in the national curriculum
• Extensive range of search options enables users to find fast and easy answers to questions such as: 
  – Which words came into English from Urdu?
  – Where does “wheelie bin” originate from?
  – Which words came into English in the 1990s?
  – What was the original meaning of “skyscraper”?
  – When did “text message” come into the language?

Further information
Find out more about OED Online http://www.oed.com/  
Take a tour http://www.oed.com/tour/step-1.html

Special features for subscribers
Add an OED Online search box to your library website http://www.oed.com/services/
Look up words in OED Online direct from any other website http://www.oed.com/services/

How to Subscribe
If you wish to subscribe, first take a look at the  Model Licence  (Word 92KB) and these amendment schedules:

Schedule (Word 44KB)

For pricing information please use the contact details below quoting MLA's Reference Online.

email: ged.welford@oup.com  
Tel: 01865 354582
Oxford University Press, Online Sales, Room E104,
Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP