A Dictionary of the English Language, 6th edn

Title: A Dictionary of the English Language, 6th edn
Heading: Codifying English
Description: Although not the first dictionary in English, Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language became the most influential English dictionary of the eighteenth century. First published in 1755 after nearly a decade of labour, it contained over 40,000 definitions and approximately 114,000 illustrative quotations drawn from authors including William Shakespeare, John Milton, and John Dryden.

Johnson’s Dictionary helped codify English at a national scale during a period when questions of linguistic correctness, refinement, and literary authority were increasingly important. Rather than merely listing words, Johnson illustrated their meanings through quotations from respected authors, linking the authority of the language to the authority of print and literary culture. His definitions are also notable for their wit, individuality, and occasional political or moral commentary.

The Dictionary was a major commercial and scholarly undertaking. Large folio editions were expensive works aimed initially at institutional and affluent readers, though abridged versions later widened access considerably. Through repeated editions and extensive circulation, Johnson’s work shaped English education, publishing, and lexicography for generations.
Exhibition Section: The Power of Print
Author: Samuel Johnson
Place of Publication: London
Publisher: J. F. C. Rivington and others
Date of Publication: 1785
Format: 4to
Century: 18th
Illustrations: Engraving