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

Kennedy, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Former name of Jacqueline Kennedy O·nas·sis

(ō-năsĭs, ō-näsĭs) 1929-1994.

First lady of the United States (1961-1963) as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. She promoted the arts and supervised the redecoration of the White House. Following her husband's assassination she returned to private life and in 1968 married Aristotle Onassis.

(click for a larger image)

Jacqueline Kennedy

photographed in 1961

Kennedy, Edward Moore Known as "Ted." 1932-2009.

American politician. A US senator from Massachusetts (1962-2009), he sponsored national health insurance legislation and was a longtime leader of the Democratic Party.

Kennedy, Cape

See Cape Canaveral.

Kennedy, Robert Francis Known as "Bobby." 1925-1968.

American politician who served as US attorney general (1961-1964) during the presidency of his brother John F. Kennedy. He was elected to the Senate in 1964 and was campaigning for the presidency when he was assassinated in Los Angeles.

Kennedy, Joseph Patrick 1888-1969.

American businessman who served as ambassador to Great Britain (1938-1940). With his wife, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890-1995), he raised nine children, three of whom became prominent politicians.

Kennedy, John Fitzgerald Known as "Jack." 1917-1963.

The 35th president of the United States (1961-1963). A US representative (1947-1953) and senator (1953-1960) from Massachusetts, he became the youngest man elected to the presidency (1960). Kennedy approved the failed invasion of the Bay of Pigs (1961) and forced Khrushchev to remove Soviet missiles from Cuba (1962). He also established the Peace Corps (1961) and advocated civil rights reform. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963.

(click for a larger image)

John F. Kennedy

photographed in the early 1960s

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