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MerriamWebster

Merriam-Webster, Incorporated is an American publisher of dictionaries and other reference works. The company traces its origins to Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language and to the Springfield, Massachusetts publishing firm of George and Charles Merriam. In 1831 the Merriam brothers launched a publishing business, and in 1843 they acquired the rights to Webster’s 1828 dictionary. They published An American Dictionary of the English Language in 1847, a work that helped establish the Webster name in American lexicography. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries they issued revised editions such as Webster’s New International Dictionary and Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, reinforcing the brand’s prominence.

In 1960 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. acquired Merriam-Webster, and the company has operated as a subsidiary of

Today, Merriam-Webster publishes a range of dictionaries and language reference works for general and specialized audiences.

Britannica,
continuing
to
publish
print
dictionaries
as
well
as
digital
products.
The
Merriam-Webster
brand
is
widely
associated
with
both
the
traditional,
comprehensive
dictionaries
and
more
accessible
learner-oriented
references.
Its
offerings
include
widely
used
collegiate
and
unabridged
dictionaries,
thesauri,
and
specialty
dictionaries.
The
company
maintains
a
substantial
online
presence
at
merriam-webster.com,
providing
free
definitions,
pronunciation
guides,
usage
notes,
example
sentences,
and
language
tools,
along
with
features
such
as
a
Word
of
the
Day.
The
brand
also
produces
mobile
apps
and
contributes
language
resources
for
educators,
students,
writers,
and
publishers.