What is Dictionary ?

At the end of the medieval period, London became the standard for properly spoken and written English, and during the years that followed, the English language shifted to contain the distinct features it has today.

During the years 1500-1650, it is estimated that the number of known English words doubled. At the end of the medieval period, London became the standard for properly spoken and written English, and during the years that followed, the English language shifted to contain the distinct features it has today.

One of the first dictionaries, entitled The Dictionary of Syr Thomas Eliot Knyght (1538), was actually bilingual. It was followed by others, such as the Dictionarie French and English (1593) by Claudius Hollyband.

One of the first dictionaries, entitled The Dictionary of Syr Thomas Eliot Knyght (1538), was actually bilingual. It was followed by others, such as the Dictionarie French and English (1593) by Claudius Hollyband.

It is interesting to note that in 1582, a man named Richard Mulcaster wrote The Elementarie, a spelling guide with undefined words.

It is interesting to note that in 1582, a man named Richard Mulcaster wrote The Elementarie, a spelling guide with undefined words.

In 1604, Robert Cawdrey compiled the first 'authentic' English dictionary, entitled Table Alphabeticall, which contained just 2,543 words and their definitions.

In 1604, Robert Cawdrey compiled the first 'authentic' English dictionary, entitled Table Alphabeticall, which contained just 2,543 words and their definitions.

Humorously, the subtitle to the book was for the benefit of Ladies, Gentlewomen and other unskilled folk.

Some of the definitions are funny, and the spelling of many words is definitely different from today. Only one copy survived, and now it has been reprinted.

Cawdrey is to be credited for inventing the idea that a dictionary should flow from A to Z. Some of the definitions are funny, and the spelling of many words is definitely different from today. Only one copy survived, and now it has been reprinted.

Cawdrey's dictionary paved the way for others, like the 1616 English Expositor (1616) by John Bullokar and English Dictionary by Elisha Coles.

Cawdrey's dictionary paved the way for others, like the 1616 English Expositor (1616) by John Bullokar and English Dictionary by Elisha Coles.

In 1656, Glossographia by Thomas Blount was published, containing more than 10,000 words along with their etymologies, or histories

In 1656, Glossographia by Thomas Blount was published, containing more than 10,000 words along with their etymologies, or histories.

Phillips boldly plagiarized Blount's work, and the two renounced each other. This created more interest in the dictionaries.

A few years later, a rival dictionary, The New World of English Words: Or, a General Dictionary, was written by Edward Phillips.

In 1755, one of the most authoritative and famous dictionaries was published by Samuel Johnson in two volumes. It was entitled Dictionary of the English Language.

Phillips boldly plagiarized Blount's work, and the two renounced each other. This created more interest in the dictionaries.

In 1755, one of the most authoritative and famous dictionaries was published by Samuel Johnson in two volumes.

Johnson, with the help of six other people, wrote clever definitions with the goal of writing a dictionary by which the pronunciation of our language may be fixed, and its attainment facilitated; by which its purity may be preserved, its use ascertained and its duration lengthened.

It was entitled Dictionary of the English Language. Johnson, with the help of six other people, wrote clever definitions with the goal of writing a dictionary by which the pronunciation of our language may be fixed, and its attainment facilitated; by which its purity may be preserved, its use ascertained and its duration lengthened. It set the standard for dictionaries that followed.

The Philological Society wanted to compile a new dictionary which included all the unregistered words

They started to collect the unlisted or poorly defined words in the year 1857

The first editor of Oxford dictionary was Herbert Coleridge, the grandson of the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. His house was the first editorial office of Oxford dictionary