Based on the authoritative "American Heritage (r) Dictionary of the English Language," Fifth Edition, this new edition of the "American Heritage (r) Desk Dictionary" has been completely updated; every single entry has been reviewed and revised as necessary. Its thousands of new words and senses, such as "antiquark," "earbud," and the verb sense of "friend," reflect recent developments in the sciences, technology, and popular culture. Hundreds of photographs and drawings enhance the text, and several tables such as the periodic table of the elements and a table of units of measurement provide helpful data in a useful visual format.

Forming the heart of the dictionary, however, are its more than 70,000 entry words, whose clear, straightforward definitions supplemented by pronunciations, inflections of irregular verbs and plural nouns, and selected etymologies make the "American Heritage (r) Desk Dictionary "an essential reference for the office, school, or home."