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.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
n. 1. a. A protective case of silk or similar fibrous material spun by the larvae of moths and certain other insects as a cover for the pupa. b. A similar natural protective covering or structure, such as the egg case of a spider. 2. A protective plastic coating that is placed over stored military or naval equipment. 3. Something that envelops, protects, or isolates: "a star hidden in a cocoon of dust" (Freeman Dyson). "Actors live in a cocoon of praise. They never meet people who don't like them" (Robert Morley). v. co·cooned, co·coon·ing, co·coons v.tr. 1. To envelop (an insect) in a cocoon. 2. To wrap in a blanket or other covering. 3. To cause to be isolated or protected from harsh, dangerous, or disturbing realities; insulate. v.intr. To be isolated or protected from harsh, dangerous, or disturbing realities, especially by remaining indoors at home in one's free time. [French cocon, from Provençal coucoun, diminutive of coco, shell, from Late Latin coccum, from Latin, berry, oak gall, from Greek kokkos, seed, berry.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
