COBUILD 30th ANNIVERSARY

Since 1987, Collins COBUILD has been a leading source of authentic English worldwide.

Now celebrating its 30th year, COBUILD continues to provide invaluable and detailed guidance on the English language.

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1st edition, 1987

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2nd edition, 1995

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3rd edition, 2001

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4th edition, 2003

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5th edition, 2006

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6th edition, 2008

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7th edition, 2012

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8th edition, 2014

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NEW – 9th edition

Our COBUILD dictionaries include:

  • Up-to-date coverage of today’s English – based on the constantly updated 4.5-billion-word database of today’s English language, the Collins Corpus
  • Authentic examples – real-life examples of English from the Collins Corpus show how words are used in everyday language
  • Vocabulary-building features – brand-new features on collocation, word history, usage and synonyms to help learners use English with accuracy and confidence
  • New supplements – offer guidance on effective communication in English
  • Full sentence definitions – all words and phrases are covered in depth and explained in full sentences to show words in context
  • Frequency – the most important words are clearly highlighted to indicate which to learn first

Word of the Edition

corpus

corpus is a large collection of written or spoken texts that is used for language research. (1st edition, 1987)

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internet

The internet is the computer network which allows computer users to connect with computers all over the world, and which carries email.
(2nd edition, 1995)

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memory chip

In a computer, the memory chip is the microchip in which information is stored. (3rd edition, 2001)

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e-book

An e-book is a book which is produced for reading on a computer screen. E-book is an abbreviation for ‘electronic book’. (4th edition, 2003)

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bird flu

Bird flu is a virus which can be transmitted from chickens, ducks, and other birds to people. (5th edition, 2006)

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carbon footprint

Your carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by your activities over a particular period.
(6th edition, 2008)

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cloud computing

Cloud computing is a model of computer use in which services that are available on the Internet are provided to users on a temporary basis.
(7th edition, 2012)

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bromance

bromance is a close but not sexual relationship between two men. (8th edition, 2014)

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alt-right

The alt-right refers to a group of people with extreme right-wing views, including extreme views on race, who use the internet rather than traditional politics to organize and to share opinions.
(9th edition, 2018)

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Our new editions, publishing March!

Collins COBUILD Learner’s Dictionaries provide invaluable guidance on the English language, and are the complete reference tools for learners of English.

ADVANCED LEARNER’S DICTIONARY

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9th Edition

Revised and updated to include invaluable and detailed guidance on the English language, this is the complete reference tool for learners of English.

  • Covers all the words, phrases and idioms that students need to master to speak and write effective English
  • Grammar patterns and example sentences provide extensive help with grammar, plus a new supplement helps with academic and business grammar
  • Ideal for students preparing for Cambridge English, IELTS, TOEIC and TOEFL examinations

INTERMEDIATE LEARNER’S DICTIONARY

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4th Edition

Covers all language features to help intermediate learners gain an even better understanding of how real English works

  • Ideal for intermediate level learners of English, this dictionary is written in simple, natural English making it easy to use and understand
  • Covers all the essential words, phrases and idioms that students at this level need and provides help with grammar and usage
  • Ideal for students preparing for Cambridge English examinations

PRIMARY LEARNER’S DICTIONARY

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3rd Edition

An illustrated dictionary for primary school students, whose first language is not English, but who attend English language schools

  • Over 8,000 entries covering all the essential words and phrases that students need
  • Full coverage of curriculum (CLIL) vocabulary for children studying other subjects through English
  • Engaging 16 page full-colour supplement contains illustrations of key cross-curricular topics, perfect for CLIL

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Decoding the generations: the language of Gen Z and Gen Alpha

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British Pudding Day

Pease pudding hot… Saturday 9 November marks British Pudding Day. It’s at the weekend, giving anyone who likes cooking the leisure to prepare a proper pudding. Puddings are central to British culture. So central that we plonk them in nursery rhymes (see the heading above) and in proverbs (the proof… Read More