Word Origins: An Exploration and History of Words and Language

This story of words and their origins presents a vast amount of information. It is not, however, either a history or a textbook. The material, while strictly factual, is as entertaining as fiction.
Here the reader will find the life stories of thousands of words -- how, when, and where they originated, how their meanings changed and developed through the centuries, and many other facts that give a better understanding of the English language as it is today.

“Every word was once a poem,” is the first sentence of the book. Funk supports this thesis beautifully.

An excellent source for the meanings and etymology of words in English. Not strictly a theological work, it's uses include sermon preperation and backgroud research; it's use allows preachers to avoid errors in thier preperation