Offering a wide variety of distinctively Australian words in current use, as well as the general vocabulary that Australia shares with other English-speaking countries, the Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary is the most ambitious treatment of Australian English yet published. With sensesarranged in order of comparative familiarity or importance, there is generous treatment of abbreviations and compounds, and an easy-to-understand Australian guide to pronunciation and inflection. Etymologies are explained in detail, and alternative spellings are given, with preferred spellingfirst. Labels indicate subject areas; level of usage is noted. Illustrative phrases and sentences show words in use. Disputed and racially offensive uses are indicated, as are irregular plurals, and over 80,000 entries demonstrate precisely Australian English usage. .