Rating: 
Summary: This is the UK Version of the Great Barnhart Dictionary
Review: As noted, this is the Barnhart Dictionary, published by Chambers. The US version of this classic is now priced at over $60 - so this British re-release is a real bargain. One of the best modern etymology references available, clear, concise and definitive. IMHO, its better organized then the Oxford, and more authoritative than all but Pkorny's great $1,000 work on the etymology of all IndoEuropean languages. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Chambers dictionary of Etymolgy
Review: Chambers Dictionary of Etymology is not a purchase I am glad to have made. I read the other submitted reviews and felt encouraged. But after using the book through a month of extensive etymological research, I find that the resource is much too thin, although the book is thick with 25,000 entries. The best thing is the prose style which is readable and invites easy access. But, it stops far short of intriguing threads of sense that are crucial for seious research. Where are the Greek and Latin derivatives? Why is there no folksy, learned fancy to touch a pertinent phrase.
At times this book provides, through its discussion like text, a tidbit or two that was of help. On the whole , I have found the much slighter book by Eric Partridge, "Origins:A Short Etymological Dictionery of the Modern English" to be far deeper, richer, more suggestive of pockets of sense, than any other I have used so far.
I bought Chambers to save money. Now I wish I had gone for something else, the Oxford, for example. Partridge outstrips Chambers at every turn. Having to learn abbbreviations is no objection : it takes a mere second or two, and the result only better prepare one for more rewarding refernec text usage.Blain Bovee
Rating: 
Summary: Chambers reads well, but no cigar
Review: I bought the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, largely based on reviews posted here. While I love the 'prose' style of word origin discussions, there has scarcely been a time the book has proved useful. The fact is, Eric Partridge's "Origins" : a Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English" surpasses Chambers on a daily basis for my purposes. It goes deeper, gives you a wealth of threads for further investigation and contains some spicy asides regarding other distionaries. That one needs to familiarize oneself with abbreviations is simply no objection.
My view is : by-pass Chambers and get a real etymological dictionary. You will never regret it. I have a pristine copy of Chambers for sale should you incline to the contrary.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not quite as detailed as Oxford version
Review: I had the chance to compare the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology with the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology, and I have to say that although both books are way ahead of the competition, for me, the Oxford seemed to go into greater depth. Admittedly, I did not have the time to compare a lot of entries, but the few words I did look up showed a pattern that was hard to dismiss. In all of the cases that I saw, the Oxford dictionary included much more of the history of the word and often went back to the Latin root as well as proposing possible alternate developments of the word. The Chambers dictionary, on the other hand, tended to trace a more linear path and often only went as far back as the Old English or Old French root. While the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology is a very clear and concise work, I feel the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology has a slight advantage in precision and depth. I must add that although the Oxford beats out the Chambers dictionary in regard to etymology, Chambers has the advantage when it comes to quotations. I find that the Chambers Dictionary of Quotations is better than Oxford's equivalent work.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful reference and great value!
Review: The Chamber's Dictionary of Etymology is the best edition to be found. With the origins and development of over 25,000 English words it remains the most complete and formidable reference tool in its class. This single-volume dictionary contains a short history of the English language; and above and beyond all other editions it handles how the spelling, pronunciation, and meanings of words have changed throughout time. This edition will be exceptionaly rewarding for English students, teachers, and general readers alike.
Rating:
Summary: "This is a Great Dictionary, Right Down to the Root"
Review: The Chamber's Dictionary of Etymology is the best edition to be found. With the origins and development of over 25,000 English words it remains the most complete and formidable reference tool in its class. This single-volume dictionary contains a short history of the English language; and above and beyond all other editions it handles how the spelling, pronunciation, and meanings of words have changed throughout time. This edition will be exceptionaly rewarding for English students, teachers, and general readers alike.
Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: This reference views the English language from an American perspective (as opposed to the classic OED) and presents its 25,000-30,000 entries accordingly. The book is a supreme value and you can't go wrong. This is one for scholars and browsers alike. I recommend this book in the highest possible sense.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful reference and great value!
Review: This volume is a "must-have" for readers, scholars, and absolutely any person interested in words and their origins/history. The book is rather heavy and thick but is otherwise extremely user-friendly and a great "browser" as well as an essential companion to any ordinary dictionary. I should note that this edition, although a British re-publication of its famous US version, retains American spelling and keeps its focus on American sources while utilizing the best of all English references, regardless of country of origin. Regarding physical quality, the book has a signature-sewn binding, meaning that it is not merely held together by glue but that its pages are actually sewn with real thread... quite a treat in today's disposable society. Thus, with reasonable care, this tome should last a lifetime and beyond!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful reference and great value!
Review: This volume is a "must-have" for readers, scholars, and absolutely any person interested in words and their origins/history. The book is rather heavy and thick but is otherwise extremely user-friendly and a great "browser" as well as an essential companion to any ordinary dictionary. I should note that this edition, although a British re-publication of its famous US version, retains American spelling and keeps its focus on American sources while utilizing the best of all English references, regardless of country of origin. Regarding physical quality, the book has a signature-sewn binding, meaning that it is not merely held together by glue but that its pages are actually sewn with real thread... quite a treat in today's disposable society. Thus, with reasonable care, this tome should last a lifetime and beyond!
Rating:
Summary: No better than a good dictionary.
Review: To my surprise I found this book to be no better than my 50 year old Webster Collegiate Dictionary. About the same number of roots, similarly presented.
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