Timeline
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary Timeline
1400
Geoffrey Chaucer, the earliest author cited in SJ’s Dictionary, dies
January 1
Geoffrey Chaucer, the earliest author cited in SJ’s Dictionary, dies
1460
Joannes Balbus’s Catholicon is the first dictionary to be printed with movable type
June 16
Joannes Balbus’s Catholicon is the first dictionary to be printed with movable type
1538
The Dictionary of Syr Thomas Eliot Knyght, a Latin–English work, is the first English printed book with dictionary in its title
June 16
The Dictionary of Syr Thomas Eliot Knyght, a Latin–English work, is the first English printed book with dictionary in its title
1564
William Shakespeare, the most quoted author in the Dictionary, is born in Stratford-upon-Avon
April 16
William Shakespeare, the most quoted author in the Dictionary, is born in Stratford-upon-Avon
1565
Thomas Cooper publishes Thesaurus linguae Romanæ & Britannicæ, an important Latin–English dictionary
June 16
Thomas Cooper publishes Thesaurus linguae Romanæ & Britannicæ, an important Latin–English dictionary
1566
John Withals publishes A Shorte Dictionarie for Yonge Beginners Gathered of Good Authours, a Latin–English dictionary for children
June 16
John Withals publishes A Shorte Dictionarie for Yonge Beginners Gathered of Good Authours, a Latin–English dictionary for children
1572
Henri Estienne publishes his Thesaurus linguae graecae, a major Greek–Latin lexicon
June 16
Henri Estienne publishes his Thesaurus linguae graecae, a major Greek–Latin lexicon
1580
Sir Philip Sidney begins his first major work, Astrophel and Stella; in the Dictionary SJ writes, “I have fixed Sidney’s work for the [early] boundary, beyond which I make few excursions”
June 16
Sir Philip Sidney begins his first major work, Astrophel and Stella; in the Dictionary SJ writes, “I have fixed Sidney’s work for the [early] boundary, beyond which I make few excursions”
![Sir Philip Sidney begins his first major work, Astrophel and Stella; in the Dictionary SJ writes, “I have fixed Sidney’s work for the [early] boundary, beyond which I make few excursions”](https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1580s_sidney-1024x760.png)
1604
Robert Cawdrey publishes A Table Alphabeticall, the first monolingual English dictionary
June 16
Robert Cawdrey publishes A Table Alphabeticall, the first monolingual English dictionary
1611
The King James Version of the Bible is published; it is the most quoted work in the Dictionary
June 16
The King James Version of the Bible is published; it is the most quoted work in the Dictionary
El Tesoro de la lengua castellana o española, the first general monolingual Spanish dictionary, is published
June 16
El Tesoro de la lengua castellana o española, the first general monolingual Spanish dictionary, is published
1612
The Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca, the first great European dictionary produced by a national academy, is published in Florence
June 16
The Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca, the first great European dictionary produced by a national academy, is published in Florence
1616
William Shakespeare dies
April 23
William Shakespeare dies
William Bullokar publishes An English Expositor: Teaching the Interpretation of the Hardest Words Used in Our Language, with Sundry Explications, Descriptions and Discourses, the second monolingual English dictionary
June 16
William Bullokar publishes An English Expositor: Teaching the Interpretation of the Hardest Words Used in Our Language, with Sundry Explications, Descriptions and Discourses, the second monolingual English dictionary
1623
Henry Cockeram publishes The English Dictionarie; or, An Interpreter of Hard English Words, an example of the tradition of “hard-word” dictionaries
June 16
Henry Cockeram publishes The English Dictionarie; or, An Interpreter of Hard English Words, an example of the tradition of “hard-word” dictionaries
William Shakespeare’s colleagues publish Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories & Tragedies, known as the “First Folio”
June 16
William Shakespeare’s colleagues publish Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories & Tragedies, known as the “First Folio”
1656
Thomas Blount publishes Glossographia; or, A Dictionary Interpreting the Hard Words of Whatsoever Language, Now Used in Our Refined English Tongue
June 16
Thomas Blount publishes Glossographia; or, A Dictionary Interpreting the Hard Words of Whatsoever Language, Now Used in Our Refined English Tongue
1658
Edward Phillips publishes The New World of Words; or, A General Dictionary, the first English dictionary published in the large folio format; around half its entries are plagiarized from Blount’s Glossographia
June 16
Edward Phillips publishes The New World of Words; or, A General Dictionary, the first English dictionary published in the large folio format; around half its entries are plagiarized from Blount’s Glossographia
1660
Charles II is restored to the throne after eleven years in which England had no king; Johnson focuses most of his attention on the language of “the writers before the restoration”
May 16
Charles II is restored to the throne after eleven years in which England had no king; Johnson focuses most of his attention on the language of “the writers before the restoration”
1667
John Milton publishes Paradise Lost, one of the most cited works in the Dictionary
June 16
John Milton publishes Paradise Lost, one of the most cited works in the Dictionary
