"Modern English is rich in words derived from sources as diverse as classical Latin and Greek, Indonesian and other Asian languages, European mythology and religion, and the popular culture of many times and places.

In this survey of the origins of several hundred familiar English words, linguist Robert Gorrell explores the myriad ways our language has been shaped by successive conquests of Britain by the Romans, Germanic tribes, and Normans; by borrowings from Greek (which followed the spread of Christianity into the British Isles), Arabic, Native American languages, French, and others; and by the spread of British conquerors, colonists, and merchants around the world.".

"What's In a Word? will please etymologists curious about the wildly diverse historical and cultural influences on one of the world's most widely used and studied languages, and general readers will also be charmed by Professor Gorrell's delightful and informative text and his genial curiosity about ordinary words that we take for granted."--BOOK JACKET.