The American Century Dictionary

The price of this book, only $3.99, is the biggest selling point; you simply can't be that price. Size would have to be the second factor that makes this dictionary a best-buy. It is small enough to be carried in any purse or book bag. The number of etymologies are incredibly limited and there is no section on the rules of style and grammer. The supplementary information is a bit dated, you have to consider it was published in 1996. For instance, at the time this dictionary was published the city of Chicago had only one area code: 312. Since that time the area code of 773 has been created and the book, of course, does not reflect this fact. Definitions are also limited. The word "aliteracy" is not present and neither is "syncretic" but it does contain the slang word "wasted". If you are looking for a purely functional dictionary, your funds are limited, and you want something easily transportable then this is the dictionary for you.