This dictionary provides a systematic analysis of Russian word derivations, describing the etymology of 1500 central words in the language. In the introduction, the author traces the development of Russian vocabulary and focuses on factors that have affected semantic and lexical change. In the main part of the book, a typical entry gives the present meaning of the word, the dates of the first appearance in the language and of subsequent meaning changes, and details of orthographical, phonetic and social factors that have affected its development. Cognate words in Russian and other...