The Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources is published for the British Academy by Oxford University Press.

Edited by Richard Ashdowne, David Howlett, and Ronald Latham

305 × 238mm | 3 vols

(A–G) lxxxiii + 1402, (H–P) iv + 1544, (Q–Z) iv + 1154 pp.

Vol. I: 978-0-19-726630-4
Vol. II: 978-0-19-726631-1
Vol. III: 978-0-19-726632-8
Whole set: 978-0-19-726633-5

£500 | Publ. 5 April 2018

Based entirely on original research, the Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources is the most comprehensive dictionary of Medieval Latin to have been produced and the first ever to focus on British Medieval Latin. It is a definitive survey of the vocabulary of one of the most important languages in British and European history. This new edition, bound for the first time as a convenient three-volume set, incorporates a small number of amendments and additions into the text originally published as a series of fascicules between 1975 and 2013.

The DMLBS is the key lexical reference work for anyone reading Medieval Latin texts produced in Britain or by British authors. The period covered extends from the 6th to the 16th century. The Dictionary sets out clearly for each of more than 56,000 words the full range of meanings found in the medieval period and the kinds of linguistic contexts and works in which they appear, highlighting possible alternative meanings and allusions. Contemporary example quotations illustrate each usage. The full range of attested variant spellings of words is recorded and helpful cross-references are provided, making the Dictionary a particularly valuable tool for researchers working on Medieval Latin manuscript sources of all kinds and on documentary sources in particular.

This new three-volume printing contains the complete text published in fascicules from 1975 to 2013. The text has been freshly typeset and integrates all the published addenda and corrigenda as well as a number of other additions and corrections.

Read more in the OUP catalogue.

Citing the Dictionary

We recommend that bibliographic references to the Dictionary include the following information:

R. K. Ashdowne, D. R. Howlett, & R. E. Latham (eds.) Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources (British Academy: Oxford, 2018).

In running text or in short-form footnotes, DMLBS is the recommended abbreviation. Individual entries may best be cited by headword, and their senses by number, e.g. DMLBS s.v. 2 sanus 2d. (s.v. = sub verbo, i.e. ‘under the word’) We do not recommend citation by page and column.