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Ad·ams (ădəmz), Abigail Smith 1744-1818.
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First lady of the United States (1797-1801) as the wife of President John Adams. Her letters to her husband provide a vivid picture of life in colonial Massachusetts.
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Abigail Adams
c. 1766 pastel portrait by Benjamin Blyth (1740?-1787?)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Adams, John Quincy 1767-1848.
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The sixth president of the United States (1825-1829). As secretary of state (1817-1825) he helped formulate the Monroe Doctrine. After his presidency he served in the House of Representatives (1831-1848), where he advocated antislavery measures.
(click for a larger image)
John Quincy Adams
portrait by George Peter
Alexander Healy
(1813-1894)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Adams, John 1735-1826.
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The first vice president (1789-1797) and second president (1797-1801) of the United States. He was a major figure during the American Revolution, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and the shaping of the Constitution.
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John Adams
portrait by
George Peter Alexander Healy
(1813-1894)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Adams, Henry Brooks 1838-1918.
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American historian noted for his nine-volume History of the United States during the Administrations of Jefferson and Madison (1889-1891). He also wrote a famous autobiography, The Education of Henry Adams (1918).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Adams, Charles Francis 1807-1886.
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American public official who as an ambassador during the Civil War helped dissuade Great Britain from officially recognizing the Confederacy.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Adams, Brooks 1848-1927.
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American historian who theorized that civilizations rise and fall according to a pattern of economic growth and decline.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Adams, Ansel Easton 1902-1984.
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American photographer noted for his black-and-white photographs of the American wilderness.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Adams, Samuel 1722-1803.
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American Revolutionary leader whose agitations spurred Bostonians toward rebellion against British occupation and rule. He was a member of the First and Second Continental Congresses, signed the Declaration of Independence, and served as governor of Massachusetts (1794-1797).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Adams, Mount
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A peak, 3,742 m (12,276 ft) high, in the Cascade Range of southwest Washington.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.