Best Italian/English dictionary?

[peggymckee]

Hi all!

I'm learning Italian and want to buy a good Italian-English dictionary. Right now I'm using a library copy of Cassell's Italian-English and vice versa. (Green cover, yellow & white title). It's about 3 inches thick and seems good.

Any other recommendations? I want something hardcover--it's not for travel but for desk reference.

Many thanks, Peggy M

[NOLA]

Hi Peggy,

I use Harrap's Concise Italian. It has a lot of new vocabulary.

[Poipuo4]

I like the Oxford dictionary. I have the large paperback one. It has summaries of grammar in the back and what I like is that it supplies not only definitions, but expressions next to the definition, where you would use the word in context. They probably have a larger hard cover one.

However, I used Cassell's when I took Spanish and that was the leading dictionary for Spanish.

[Xaymara]

I want something hardcover--it's not for travel but for desk reference.

For serious language study I always recommend the Harper Collins Sansoni Unabridged Italian Dictionary. In terms of weight and content it's a big dictionary -- about 2300 pages. A very comprehensive reference that along each entry you'll find a large list of idiomatic expressions. Amazon sells it for $40.00 ( I paid $60 three yrs. ago) with free shipping which is a bargain considering that the dictionary weighs almost 6lb.

[Emmy]

Hi Peggy
I think you have the same dictionary as I use, bought it in 1964 underneath the green 'cover' hard back cover is a wine shade. When I think what it cost then -not even £2 and what it would cost now 8O
but maybe there have been updated versions printed since then. I must admit I like this one.
Emmy