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Berlin, Sir Isaiah 1909-1997.

Russian-born British political philosopher and historian best known for his distinction between positive and negative liberty and for his view that values are plural and conflicting.

ber·lin or ber·line

(bər-lĭn)

A four-wheeled closed carriage with an exposed seat to the rear.

[After Berlin, Germany.]

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berlin

Berlin, Irving Originally Israel Baline. 1888-1989.

Russian-born American songwriter who wrote more than 1,000 songs, including "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (1911), and several musical comedies, such as Top Hat (1935) and Annie Get Your Gun (1946).

Ber·lin

(bûr-lĭn)

The capital and largest city of Germany, in the northeast part of the country. Founded in the 13th century, it was the capital of the kingdom of Prussia from 1701 and the capital of the German Empire (1871-1918), the Weimar Republic (1919-1933), and the Third Reich (1933-1945). The city was divided between 1945 and 1990 into East Berlin and West Berlin, which division grew out of the zones of occupation established at the end of World War II. The Berlin Wall, a wire and concrete barrier, was erected by the East German government in August 1961 and dismantled in November 1989.

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.

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Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices