The Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources 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 the sixth to the sixteenth century. The Dictionary sets out clearly for individual 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 amplify each entry. The full range of attested variant spellings of words is recorded and helpful cross-references are provided, making the Dictionary particularly valuable for researchers working on Medieval Latin manuscript sources of all kinds and on documentary sources in particular.
The DMLBS is an essential companion to any collection of medieval Latin texts, including those in modern editions accompanied by facing translations, and an indispensable aid to reading the vast quantity of medieval texts and documents that are not available in translation. Because of its chronological coverage and overall completeness, it is also the single most helpful reference work for readers of texts in Medieval Latin produced elsewhere in Europe.
The Dictionary offers considerable assistance to readers who are less familiar with Latin in general or with the medieval varieties of the language in particular. Because of the tremendous importance of Latin in the middle ages as a language of literature, religion, science, and formal record not only in Britain but across Europe too, the Dictionary is an important tool for scholars in a wide range of fields whose work brings them into contact of a less direct or obvious kind with the language. The study of literature, philosophy, theology, science, and many more fields in the middle ages - even when focused primarily on sources written not in Latin but in the everyday languages of the time - is illuminated by an awareness of the contemporary Latin material and the Dictionary makes this material much more accessible.
