Welcome to my online dictionary! This lexicon has been a pet project of mine since the year 2000. As of today (February 28, 2009), using two columns of size 10 Arial font with the margins pushed as thin as possible, this collection fills 76 pages. For information about my word choice, definition standards, and other (hopefully) interesting bits of information, please consult the "Never Asked Questions" link to the right. :'D

I do want to mention on my front page my primary resources. The single best dictionary resource on the Internet, in my opinion, is OneLook.com. It is word nerd heaven. I visit it daily, and so should you. Also consulted were WordSpy, The Phobia List, and various specialized printed sources. For etymology, I highly recommend WordOrigins and Etymonline. (Etymonline is more official, more scholarly, and more thorough, but WordOrigins is much more interesting and non-linguist-friendly.)

This was all for my personal benefit as an English major interested in clear, specific, carefully and creatively-worded writing. I am not accredited in any way, so you have no reason to trust my definition accuracy. In fact, if you spot any typos or incorrect entries, feel free to contact me. If you know of a great word I've left out, let me know. I'll add it. (Provided, of course, that it is a real word. I don't want to include personal slang that is only used among a small group of friends. Sorry.) I love suggestions. The subject matter, matters not. I can be contacted at posmod407@gmail.com.

Recently, I have decided to make this pet project my graduate thesis. Therefore, if you know any really great books on lexicography, the history of various dictionaries, or any other helpful resource, I'd be much obliged. :^) Bits of my thesis shall appear here in the coming months as I write up my research.

Thanks, and I hope you find these both helpful and interesting.

--Anna Matsen
Word Junkie and Guru ;-)