The Dictionary of Difficult Words

We all know what words like cat, dog, mother, and tree mean. But what about tougher words—elucubrate, demesne, cynosure? That’s where The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words comes in.

Designed for readers on the go—whether in a waiting room, on a plane, or on vacation—this pocket-sized reference contains over 10,000 entries of words often encountered in literature, technical writing, and fields like law, philosophy, and art.

Each entry includes:

Pronunciation and part of speech
Clear, concise definitions
Example sentences in context
Etymologies when helpful
Usage notes for closely related or easily confused words

Produced by Oxford’s expert lexicographers and drawing on a 200-million-word database of contemporary English, this handy volume equips readers with words just outside their everyday vocabulary—helping to bring precision and power to both speech and writing.

Perfect for students, professionals, and word lovers alike, this is the ultimate companion for tackling challenging language confidently.