Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Books
  3. The Words of Mathematics
  • This book is no longer available to purchase from Cambridge Core
  • Cited by 25
Publisher:
Mathematical Association of America
Online publication date:
January 2012
Print publication year:
1994
Online ISBN:
9781614445012
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5948/UPO9781614445012
Subjects:
Mathematics (general), Mathematics
Series:
Spectrum
Information

Book description

The Words of Mathematics explains the origins of over 1500 mathematical terms used in English. While other dictionaries of mathematics define technical terms, this book concentrates on where those terms came from and what their literal meanings are. The words included here range from simple to advanced. This dictionary is easy to use. Although some of the entries are highly technical, the book explains them in plain English. The introduction gives an overview of how the ancient language known as Indo-European developed into Latin, Greek, French, and English, the languages from which most of our mathematical vocabulary has been derived. Another section discusses the many ways in which mathematicians have borrowed and created their specialized vocabulary over the centuries. A glossary explains historical and linguistic terms used throughout the book.

Reviews

Mathematical dictionaries rarely explain where any of the terms came from, and then only briefly...This is the first book that combines a mathematical dictionary and an etymological dictionary and as such, is recommended for any library covering the field of mathematics.

Source: American Reference Books Annual

This unique dictionary discusses the etymologies of 1,500 mathematical terms. The product of serious scholarship, it is nevertheless comprehensible and enjoyable to read...A useful work for libraries

Source: Choice

Refine List

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

Contents

Page 1 of 2

Contents

Page 1 of 2

Metrics

Altmetric attention score

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

Book summary page views

Total views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Usage data cannot currently be displayed.