DICTIONARY (from the Latin dictio, a saying, expression, word), a book con taining the words, or subjects, which it treats, arranged in alphabetical order. It may be either a vocabulary, or a col lection of the words in a language, with their definitions, or a special work on one or more branches of science or art prepared on the principle of alpha betical arrangement, such as dictionaries of biography, law, music, aiedicine, etc. Among the dictionaries of the English language, the earliest seem to have been those of Barett (1573), and of Bullo kar (1616). That of Dr. Johnson pub lished in 1755 made an epoch in this department of literature. The first im portant dictionary of the English lan guage is that by Noah Webster (1828). It has been frequently republished, and in subsequent editions has almost entire-. ly altered its character. The large American dictionary by Dr. Worcester was once a rival of Webster's. Dr. Ogilvie's English dictionary (based on Webster, and first published in 1847 1850) was published in a remodeled and enlarged form (4 vols. 1881-1882, Chas.
Annadale, LL.D., editor). Cassell's "Encyclopedic Dictionary" is another extensive and useful work (1879-1888). An English dictionary "on historical principles," edited by J. A. H. Murray, LL. D., with the assistance of many schol ars, is published at the Clarendon Press (London). The "Century Dictionary" (New York, 1889-1891) in six volumes, with a supplementary "Cyclop2edia of Names," is a comprehensive and useful work. In 1895 appeared the "Standard Dictionary" (New York), which adopts the spelling reform system of the Ameri can Philological Association. A revised edition appeared in 1915. The chief etymological dictionary of English words is that by Professor Slceat (1882) ; the chief French is that of Littre; German, that of Grimm.