The American Heritage Dictionary
(4th Edition)
by the Editors of The American Heritage Dictionaries
The American Heritage is a long-standing favorite family dictionary and one of the prime dictionary references for magazines, newspapers, and dot.com content providers. For scads of writers and editors across the U.S., it sets the standard on matters of style and lexicographical authority.
The fourth edition is as current a dictionary as you can get. It's six years fresher than the 1994 version, with 10,000 words and definitions you won't find in the still venerable but now slightly dated third edition. There are valuable entries throughout the dictionary supplying additional information on synonyms, usage, or word history. The layout is easy on the eyes, with dark blue/green bold type setting the words apart from their definitions, and 4,000 color photographs, maps, and illustrations.