本书以现代语言学理论为基础，以英语词汇为研究对象，共12章，内容涉及英语词汇的构成、发展变化、形态结构、构成方式及语义关系、词义的发展变化、词的搭配与习语、美式英语与英式英语的词汇区别以及英语词汇学习策略等。每章末设有多样的练习题，以深化读者对理论知识的理解与应用。书后另附美式英语与英式英语词汇对照表，供读者参考使用。
本书适合普通高校英语专业学生和具有一定英语基础、对英语词汇学感兴趣的读者使用。

Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 What Is Lexicology
1.2 English Lexicology and Its Relation to Other Disciplines
1.3 Methods of Word Study
1.4 Aims and Significance of the Course
Exercises
Chapter 2 Basic Concepts of Words and Vocabulary
2.1 Definition of a Word
2.2 Sound and Meaning
2.3 Sound and Form
2.4 Vocabulary
2.5 Classification of Words
2.5.1 Basic Word Stock and Non-Basic Vocabulary
2.5.2 Content Words and Functional Words
2.5.3 Native Words and Borrowed Words
Exercises
Chapter 3 The Developing English Vocabulary
3.1 The Indo-European Language Family
3.2 A Historical Overview of the English Vocabulary
3.2.1 The Period of Old English (450 CE-1100 CE)
3.2.2 The Period of Middle English (1100 CE–1500 CE)
3.2.3 The Period of Moderm English (After 1500 CE)
3.3 Growth of Present-Day English Vocabulary
3.3.1 The Rapid Development of Science and Technology
3.3.2 Political, Economic, and Cultural Changes in Society
3.3.3 The Formation of New Vocabulary
3.4 Modes of Vocabulary Development
Exercises
Chapter 4 Morphological Structure of Words
4.1 The Concept of Morpheme
4.1.1 Types of Morphemes
4.1.2 Roots, Stems, and Bases
4.2 Major Processes of Word Formation
4.2.1 Derivation
4.2.2 Conversion
4.2.3 Compounding
4.3 Minor Processes of Word Formation
4.3.1 Clipping
4.3.2 Blending
4.3.3 Acronymy: Initialisms and Acronyms
4.3.4 Back-Formation
4.3.5 Words from Proper Names
4.3.6 Miscellaneous
Exercises
Chapter 5 Word Meaning, Polysemy, and Homonymy
5.1 Motivation
5.1.1 Phonetic Motivation
5.1.2 Morphological Motivation
5.1.3 Semantic Motivation
5.2 Main Types of Word Meaning
……
Chapter 6 Sense Relations Between Words
Chapter 7 Changes in Word Meaning
Chapter 8 Meaning and Context
Chapter 9 Multi-Word Expressions
Chapter 10 Idioms
Chapter 11 Differences Between American English and British English
Chapter 12 Vocabulary Learning
Appendix: Difference Between American English and British English
References