In a convenient and economical format, this dictionary presents over 80,000 definitions, set out in an accessible style, with clear pronunciation guides and idiomatic phrases listed together at the end of the entry, making them very easy to locate.
Based on the full Macquarie Dictionary, which is in its fourth edition, the Essential is completely up-to-date, with words from the cutting edge in such fields as:
- information technology (background processing, bitmap, blog)
- science (biometrics, carbon credit, cladogenesis)
- health and medicine (bird flu, brain attack, cosmeceutical, spray-on skin)
- leisure (bling-bling, ra-ra skirt, reality TV, retrosexual, retail therapy)
- law (bioterrorism, identity theft, mandatory detention)
- workplace (call centre operator, corporate governance, e-tailer)
The colloquial side of our language is not ignored either, with informal words and uses generously covered. Many idiomatic phrases – sometimes the hardest meanings to fathom – are also included. Add to this the selection of valuable appendixes and you have an indispensable language resource.
