A Concise Dictionary of Middle English from A.D. 1150 to 1580

The volume is a concise alphabetical dictionary of Middle English vocabulary (c.1150–1580), compiled for students and readers. Entries present principal spellings and variants, brief definitions, etymologies, and abundant citations drawn from representative specimen texts and glossaries; references point readers to full contexts in the referenced editions. The editors prioritize forms typical of the Chaucer–Piers Plowman period and note French influence, with cross-references and additions enabling expansion of entries. Preface and explanatory notes outline sources, editorial principles, and conventions for abbreviations and underlining.