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

ver·nac·u·lar

(vər-năkyə-lər)

a. The everyday language spoken by a people as distinguished from the literary language.

b. A variety of such everyday language specific to a social group or region: the vernaculars of New York City.

2. The specialized vocabulary of a particular trade, profession, or group: in the legal vernacular.

3. The common, nonscientific name of a plant or animal.

adj.

1. Native to or commonly spoken by the members of a particular country or region.

2. Using the native language of a region, especially as distinct from the literary language: a vernacular poet.

3. Relating to or expressed in the native language or dialect.

4. Of or being an indigenous building style using local materials and traditional methods of construction and ornament, especially as distinguished from academic or historical architectural styles.

5. Occurring or existing in a particular locality; endemic: a vernacular disease.

6. Relating to or designating the common, nonscientific name of a biological species.

[From Latin vernāculus, native, from verna, native slave, perhaps of Etruscan origin.]

ver·nacu·lar·ly adv.

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