Oxford School Dictionary of Word Origins – discover the etymology of the English language – for children and students

The ideal app for any child or adult intrigued by the weird and wonderful histories of English words. The app was built by EducationApps, the UKs leading producer of mobile learning apps, with content licensed from Oxford University Press.

Search or browse to explore the revolting, gruesome or fascinating history of thousands of words in the English language.

Who ate the first sandwich?
Where does abracadabra come from?
Would you really be spooked by a zombie?

• Quick search function shows instant results as you type.
• Shake your device to discover a random entry – you might be surprised!
• Bookmark entries to build up a collection of your favourite amazing histories.

John Ayto, top word expert, entertains all ages from eight to eighty with this informative and humorous dictionary.


This is a universal app, compatible with the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. A discount is available to educational institutions purchasing via Apples Education Volume Purchasing Programme.