The Winter Dictionary – Down the Rabbit Hole

As the nights draw in and the cold descends, the winter world emerges – and with it an incredible array of words that superbly capture the season.

From frost-dogs (tiny frozen particles of falling snow) and Stepmother’s breath (a sudden cold snap) to hibernaculum (a winter refuge during the winter months) and crapulent (feeling the aftereffects of overindulgence), Paul Anthony Jones delves into the origins of these rare, fascinating and forgotten words, opening up a whole new way of describing the winter months.

Whether you’re keeping cosy in front of the fire, warding off the winter blues or throwing yourself into the party season, A Winter Dictionary is the perfect way to while away the snow-laden days.

Storygraph, Amazon UK

I’m interested in words and where they come from so I requested this ARC on NetGalley. As it’s a dictionary, I didn’t really read it all in one go, but read it in bits and pieces over two winters. But I had a delightful time with it, the words were strange and unusual, but sometimes familiar, and the descriptions of their meanings, where they came from and the possible changes the words may have had been common usage to modern day was fascinating.

There isn’t much to say about this book, it is exactly what it says on the cover. Chapters range from festive drinking to when winter starts to turn into spring, and the way it’s set up, it’s perfect to dip into these cold, wintery nights. I know someone who would love this for a present and I’m already thinking about buying it for them for Christmas.