HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY

To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.

Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.

guide to the dictionary

Chi·ca·go

(shĭ-kägō, -kô-)

The largest city of Illinois, in the northeast part of the state on Lake Michigan. Located at the mouth of the Chicago River, the first link in the Illinois Waterway, it developed into a major port in the 1800s and became the commercial center of the Midwest. Chicago was nearly destroyed by a disastrous fire in 1871.

Chi·cago·an n.

Word History: The name Chicago is first recorded in 1688 in a French document, where it appears as Chigagou, an Algonquian word meaning "onion field." In explanation of this name, the document states that wild onion or garlic grew profusely in the area. The name of the field or meadow was first transferred to the river and then was given to the city in 1830.

Chicago, Judy Born 1939.

American artist best known for The Dinner Party (1979), a ceramic and needlepoint project depicting the social history of women in the Western world.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

American Heritage Dictionary Products

HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY

THE USAGE PANEL

AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG

INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

American Heritage Dictionary Products