The Concise Etymological English Dictionary of the English Language

Walter Skeat (1835-1912) was one of the greatest investigators of the roots of the English language, and his remarkable scholarship was instrumental in the revival of the great works of early English Literature. His astonishing detective work into the origins and development of the world's most widely used language provides an unsurpassed guide to its flexibility and richness.

From The Publisher:

The Wordsworth Reference Library includes language dictionaries, language guides, historical references, and much more. This popular series covers everything from the familiar and practical to the extraordinary and outrageous.