Oodrinthe precise word: a reference on everyday English

An independent reference on everyday English. It is not an academic or educational institution and is not affiliated with religious or political organisations or with the previous website on this domain. In disputed cases, check current dictionaries.

Collections

Collections

A collection is a short path through the reference for one task. Pick the one closest to your situation and read in order: from short answers to a detailed walkthrough.

"Kindergarten" literally means "children's garden" in German, yet today it feels entirely at home in English — that is how language lives.

— Editors' view

Collections include only published pages of the reference. The label next to each title shows its depth: "start here" means short answers and tables, "in depth" means pages with analysis and examples.

Words from office emails

Work chats are full of borrowed words and jargon. Some are handy and clear to everyone, while others are worth replacing when the email goes beyond your team.

  • Russian loanwords and alternatives (in Russian)Start here

    Common Russian office loanwords with possible native alternatives and a note on when the swap fits — a page for readers of Russian.

  • How to rewrite a messageIn depth

    A step-by-step walkthrough of a work message: the main point first, verbs instead of nouns, words the reader knows.

  • Writing and styleStart here

    Answers about officialese, politeness and sentence length in work correspondence.

Pairs people mix up

Confusable words sound alike, so when you type fast one easily takes the other's place. One vivid example per pair helps you remember.

  • Affect and effectStart here

    The weather affects your plans, and a change of plans is the effect: one is usually the action, the other the result.

  • Complement and complimentStart here

    Complement means to complete or go well with something; compliment means praise or to praise someone.

  • Effective and efficientIn depth

    The first word is about the result, the second about not wasting effort. The glossary explains what paronyms are in general.

Words with a history

Many familiar words came from other languages so long ago that their origin comes as a surprise. Here are a few examples with a well-established history.

  • Café and balletStart here

    Both words came from French. Today they sound entirely English, and "café" is often written without its accent.

  • Piano and yoghurtStart here

    "Piano" was borrowed from Italian, where it is short for "pianoforte", literally "soft-loud", and "yoghurt" came from Turkish.

  • KindergartenIn depth

    The word came from German and is built from "Kinder" (children) and "Garten" (garden). Where to look for stories like this — see the group on dictionaries.

  • Guides

    How to rewrite a work message more clearly: preparation, steps with sample examples, mistakes and a checklist. Plus the article catalogue.

  • Questions

    Short answers on word meanings, confusable pairs, loanwords, officialese and the style of work emails.

  • Reference

    A glossary: loanword, calque, paronym, neologism, officialese, pleonasm and the kinds of dictionaries.

  • Sections

    Four themes: loanwords, confusable words, clear writing, and dictionaries and checking a word.

Sources

  • Current general, spelling and etymological dictionaries of English

Explanations are given in general terms and reflect the material as of the date it was prepared. Language changes slowly, but it does change: if our advice differs from a current dictionary, go with the dictionary. For official documents, follow the style rules adopted where you work.