Best Etymology Books of 2025

"Frindle" is a delightful tale by Andrew Clements about a fifth-grade boy named Nick Allen who invents a new word for pen, "frindle," just to aggravate his language-arts teacher. But soon, the word spreads across the country, and Nick becomes a local hero. This book teaches children about creativity, imagination, and the power of words. The story is hilarious and will have readers smiling all the way through. Overall, "Frindle" is a captivating tale that children will enjoy reading and passing among themselves.

The English Grammar Workbook for Adults is a self-study guide that helps improve writing fluency. It covers essential elements such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and tenses, and also provides tips on how to apply them to real-world scenarios. The book is easy to use with quick answers to grammar questions. It is a perfect guide for ESL/EFL and other grammar students who want to work on their writing English. The book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to gain confidence while crafting emails, cover letters, conducting daily business, and personal correspondence.

The English Grammar in Use Book with Answers by Raymond Murphy is a comprehensive self-study reference and practice book for intermediate learners of English. With clear explanations and practice exercises, this book is perfect for those looking to improve their grammar skills. The book covers all the grammar needed at the intermediate level and is recommended by teachers worldwide. The book is arranged in a user-friendly format, with explanations on one page and exercises on the other. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their English grammar skills.

The Best Grammar Workbook Ever: Grammar, Punctuation, and Word Usage for Ages 10 Through 110 is a comprehensive instructional guide for anyone who wants to master their writing skills. The book covers grammar basics, common grammar problems, punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. It includes a Pretest and Final Test, along with more than 100 practice exercises and tests at the end of each chapter. The book is written in a friendly and easy-to-use tone, with helpful hints throughout and a complete index. The Best Grammar Workbook Ever! is the most comprehensive and instructive guide to grammar that one can read in a long while.

Why Do We Say That? 101 Idioms, Phrases, Sayings & Facts! A Brief History On Where They Come From! is a fascinating book that explains the origins of some of the most commonly used idioms, proverbs, and colloquial terms. The book reveals the mesmerizing and sometimes outright bizarre backstories behind these fun sayings. It explains how each phrase was coined, how its use evolved through the ages, and how it gained its contemporary use. The book is well-written and concise, making it an enjoyable read for both adults and children. Overall, it's a great addition to anyone's bookshelf who has an interest in the English language and its history.

The Lost Words is a spellbinding collection of poems and illustrations by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, aimed at rediscovering the beauty of nature through language and art. The book is a response to the removal of forty nature-related words from the Oxford Junior Dictionary in 2007, which sparked a growing disconnect between children and the natural world. The Lost Words is a poetic and visual masterpiece that has captivated readers of all ages, inspiring a movement to rekindle our connection with the environment. This Anansi International book is a must-read for anyone who loves nature poetry.

The Infographic Guide to Grammar by Jara Kern is a fully illustrated guide that covers the most important rules in grammar and punctuation, making even the most confusing rules easy to understand. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to improve their written communication skills. The book is filled with colorful, easy-to-understand entries, and features 50 vibrant infographics explaining everything from subject-verb agreement to verb tenses. The author, Jara Kern, has done an excellent job of breaking down the complicated rules and guidelines for writing the English language and making them clear and straightforward. Overall, it is a fantastic book that is well organized, visually appealing, and fun to read.

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language is a bold and entertaining feminist analysis of gendered language and its impact on society. Amanda Montell, a feminist linguist and reporter, examines the evolution of language, from insults and cursing to grammar and pronunciation patterns, revealing how it has been used for centuries to keep women and marginalized genders from power. Montell's engaging writing style and sharp humor make linguistics approachable and enjoyable. The book sheds light on the biases that shadow women in our culture, and empowers readers to effect real social change. Wordslut is a brilliant and necessary addition to any linguistics reference bookshelf.

Romaine Wasn't Built in a Day is a delightful book that explores the history of food language throughout time. Written by celebrated linguist and historian Judith Tschann, this book takes readers on a journey through the centuries and around the world, uncovering the hidden stories behind the dishes and ingredients we take for granted. From the surprising linguistic connection between alcohol and eyeliner to the fascinating travels of the word coffee, this book is full of endless morsels of fascination for word nerds and foodies alike. Overall, Romaine Wasn't Built in a Day is an irresistibly charming and fascinating read that will make you a hit at dinner parties.

Word Magic: The Powers and Occult Definitions of Words (Second Edition) is a fascinating exploration of the world of magic, words, and legalese. The book teaches readers how words can be used to empower or disempower them and shows how powerful words are in achieving desires, programming the mind, or changing reality. It sheds light on the techniques used by corporations to manipulate the masses through the power of word magic. This enlightening book is a must-read for anyone interested in the hidden world of magic and the power of words.