Announcing Merriam-Webster Unabridged

A new subscription site based on Merriam-Webster's flagship dictionary

SPRINGFIELD, MASS., March 2002 — America's largest and most comprehensive dictionary now has its own subscription Web site, packed with special features specially designed to delight language and word enthusiasts. The core of Merriam-Webster Unabridged (www.Merriam-WebsterUnabridged.com) is unlimited access to the electronic version of Merriam-Webster's flagship Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged—the milestone product Library Journal cited as "the #1 reference source for the millennium."

The site has dozens of built-in search options (both basic and advanced), directing users to just the right word from more than 470,000 entries, and allowing specialized searches of definitions, etymologies, rhymes, usage, authors and quotations, and crossword solutions. "But the dictionary is just the beginning," say the language experts at Merriam-Webster. To introduce the multitude of attractions custom-made for Merriam-Webster Unabridged, the company is offering individual users a free 14-day trial of what it calls "the ultimate unabridged experience."

Along with the unabridged dictionary, members will have access to a comprehensive reference library, including enhanced versions of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary and Collegiate® Thesaurus, and the Merriam-Webster Atlas, with more than 240 full-color maps and at-a-glance summaries of vital facts. Word game fans will savor a whole new collection of stimulating language-related brainteasers, and word lovers will enjoy a monthly newsletter covering the latest new words and the latest news about words. There's even an opportunity for members to show off their word-spotting skills and to share their discoveries with the people who make the dictionary.

During the past 150 years, Merriam-Webster has developed and refined an editorial process that relies on thorough and objective evidence about English language use. The company applied this process and forged the way in delivering language information on-line in 1996 by launching Merriam-Webster OnLine (www.Merriam-Webster.com) whose centerpiece was free Internet access to the electronic version of its best-selling Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Collegiate Thesaurus. Input from the millions of visitors who have since made this site the Language Resource Center on the Web has been instrumental in the creation of Merriam-Webster Unabridged, a membership site designed to complement the size and quality of the famous Webster's Third.

Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
Merriam-Webster Inc. acquired the rights to revise and publish Noah Webster's dictionaries in 1843. Since then, Merriam-Webster has maintained an ongoing commitment to innovation, scholarship, and love of language. Today, the company continues as the leader in both print and electronic language reference publishing, with reference products, learning tools, and word games. For more information about a free 14-day trial subscription to Merriam-Webster Unabridged, visit http://www.merriam-websterunabridged.com.