The is not a relic; it is a statement. It says that words have weight, history, and rules. In a world of spell-check and predictive text, placing your finger on a page and tracing the etymology of algorithm back to the 9th century mathematician Al-Khwarizmi is a grounding experience. It reminds us that every time we speak, we are participating in a 1,500-year-old conversation.
: Notably, the dots used to separate syllables in entry words have been removed to save space, and the detailed synonym sections found in previous editions have been replaced by new word list boxes. merriam webster collegiate dictionary 12th edition