Lexicography provides a detailed overview of the history, types and content of dictionaries. Howard Jackson analyses a wide range of these essential references, from those for native speakers to thematic dictionaries and those on CD-ROM, to reveal the ways in which dictionaries fulfil their dual function of describing the vocabulary of English and providing a useful and accessible reference resource. Beginning with an introduction to the terms used in lexicology to describe words and vocabulary, and offering summaries and suggestions for further reading, Lexicography is highly student-friendly.