Sometimes, the most difficult hurdle in the hunt for financial security is the challenge of Wall Street terminology.

A number of handy guides can help eliminate this problem, and make understanding the investment world a little bit easier. Here are a few titles available at local bookstores or libraries:

• The New York Times Dictionary of Money and Investing by Gretchen Morgenson and Campbell R. Harvey, Times Books, 2002 ($17). It is an A-to-Z resource featuring more than 4,000 market and investing terms.
• Decoding Wall Street by David Caruso and Robert Powell, McGraw-Hill, 2002 ($16.95). The book breaks down Wall Street jargon into easy to understand lingo.
• The Complete Investment and Financial Dictionary by Howard B. Bonham, Adams Media Corp. 2001 ($13.95). It is a solid little dictionary on key financial terms and topics.
• Wall Street Words by David L. Scott, Houghton Mifflin, 1998 ($12). It features thorough investing terminology.