Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Thesaurus PDF download
Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Thesaurus is specially designed for students aged 11 to 14 who want to enlarge their vocabularies and learn more about the rich variety of the English language. The vocabulary of the thesaurus is based upon that of Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Dictionary, which is likewise intended for use primarily by middle-school students. We hope and expect that students will readily turn to the dictionary whenever they need a better understanding of the meaning of any word used in the thesaurus.
In creating this thesaurus, Merriam-Webster editors have drawn on years of experience with a thesaurus format that is at once easy to use, broad in its scope, and especially helpful to the user in the selection of the right word. We also believe that this thesaurus will prove to be highly useful as a vocabulary builder. We have parted ways with the more traditional approach of presenting long, undifferentiated lists of words that are tied to some topic or intellectual concept. Instead, we present a strictly alphabetical ordering of entries. These entries consist of lists of words that are centered on a specific—and specified—meaning. Main entries consist of lists of synonyms and related words, as well as antonyms and near antonyms whenever applicable. Phrases and idioms that function as synonyms are occasionally offered as well.
The purpose of the differentiated lists is to accommodate the various purposes for which a thesaurus is used. People use a thesaurus generally because they are dissatisfied with the word they already have in mind. They want a different word. The question is: how different?
If users of this thesaurus are trying to avoid a boring repetition of the same word, or are seeking to vary and enrich their vocabulary, then they will wish to select from the list of synonyms a word that shares the same basic meaning as the one they already have but differs from it in suggestion and tone. If they are seeking a word that is different from but still related to what they already have, then they will want to scan the lists of related words for a rewarding journey through the variety of possibilities that English offers.
If users are seeking a word that is to some degree opposite in meaning to what they have, then they will want to consult the lists of antonyms or near antonyms. By specifying the meaning under consideration, and by making distinctions between words that are truly synonymous and those that are only somewhat synonymous, we hope that we have given users the guidance they desire. We believe that our system minimizes the need to guess and to grope.
What makes Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Thesaurus unique, even among other thesauri published by Merriam-Webster, is the content of the separate entries for each and every word appearing in the lists of synonyms.
Since a user’s search for the right word may start anywhere, the thesaurus is arranged so that any member of a synonym group can serve as the starting point. An entry for a listed synonym consists of a restatement of the meaning common to all the members of the group and—most significantly—an illustration of how that particular synonym is used. A user who happens to start at a main entry should go to a synonym’s own-place entry to see how it is distinctively used. A user who happens to use a particular synonym as a starting point should follow the cross-reference to the main entry for the complete listing of synonyms, related words, and any antonyms or near antonyms.
The thesaurus format is intended to encourage and facilitate students in finding the right word, which results in writing of greater precision and clarity. The word thesaurus literally means “treasury” in Latin, and we hope that the treasure trove of words contained in these pages will enhance the user’s interest in and appreciation of the English language. We urge both students and teachers to read carefully the following sections entitled Introduction and Using Your Thesaurus in order to make the most of what the book has to offer. The Introduction contains an informative discussion of what distinguishes a synonym from a related word, an antonym from a near antonym. The Using Your Thesaurus section explains in detail the organization of the thesaurus and discusses the differences between the two basic types of entries. Study of this section is especially important.
The editor of Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Thesaurus has been ably assisted in its composition by the editors Rose Martino Bigelow, Daniel B. Brandon, Adam Groff, Kory L. Stamper, and Deanna Stathis. The entire project was supervised by Madeline L. Novak, and Robert D. Copeland and, later, Thomas F. Pitoniak and Paul S. Wood served as editors in charge of production. Stephen J. Perrault devised ways to facilitate the creation of the manuscript electronically. The difficult task of cross-referencing the text was accomplished by Christopher Chapin Connor and Allison S. Crawford. Credit for proofreading the text goes to Ilya A. Davidovich, Daniel J. Hopkins, Donna L. Rickerby, Maria Sansalone, Adrienne M. Scholz, Peter A. Sokolowski, Emily A. Vezina, and Judy Yeh. Michael D. Roundy acted as a consultant on miscellaneous scientific questions. Finally, John M. Morse, Merriam-Webster’s President and Publisher, must be acknowledged and thanked for his unfailing support for the Thesaurus.
Format:PDF
Size: 53,80 MB
Pages:881 p.
Date:2012
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Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Thesaurus PDF
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