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It's time to celebrate Dictionary Day on October 16th! This day honors the birthday of Noah Webster, the man who created America's first dictionary in 1828. Since then, the English language has grown and evolved with new words added every year. Celebrate this day by taking a moment to learn something new or brush up on your vocabulary. You can even challenge yourself to use a word you've recently learned in conversation or writing. Who knows - maybe you'll be the one adding some new words to the dictionary next year!
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1604</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First English Dictionary</div><div class='timeline-text'>Robert Cawdrey's "A Table Alphabeticall" became the first known English language dictionary, containing approximately 3,000 words.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1755</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Dr. Johnson's English Dictionary</div><div class='timeline-text'>Samuel Johnson published "A Dictionary of the English Language" which included about 40,000 words and had a significant impact on modern English dictionaries.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1828</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Webster's English Dictionary</div><div class='timeline-text'>Noah Webster released his "American Dictionary of the English Language", becoming America's first dictionary.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1884</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Oxford English Dictionary Begins</div><div class='timeline-text'>The first fascicle of what would become the Oxford English Dictionary was published, aiming to provide a comprehensive resource of the evolving English language.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1996</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Dictionary Day Initiated</div><div class='timeline-text'>The celebration of Dictionary Day on Noah Webster's birthday, October 16, began as a way to appreciate the importance of learning and language development.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2021</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Online Dictionaries Prevail</div><div class='timeline-text'>In the digital age, online dictionaries like Merriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionaries become popular and offer quick access to an extensive collection of words and their meanings.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Explore a new word</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Choose a word that you have never heard before and research its meaning and usage. Write down your own definition, use it in a sentence, and share your new knowledge with friends and family.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Play dictionary games</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Turn Dictionary Day into a game night with your friends by playing classic dictionary games like Scrabble, Boggle, and Bananagrams. You can also try out new games like Word on the Street or Dictionary Dash.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Create a word search</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Create a word search filled with vocabulary words and have your friends guess them all. If you're feeling extra creative, you can even make it themed. Try making one with words that have to do with outer space or animals.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Create an acrostic poem</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>An acrostic poem is a type of poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word or phrase. Choose a word from the dictionary and try writing an acrostic poem about it.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Write a story with only dictionary words</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Challenge yourself to write a short story or even just a few paragraphs made up completely of words from the dictionary. This will not only help you expand your vocabulary, but also help you practice using new words in context.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Dictionaries offer quick access to information</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>We live in an increasingly fast-paced world, and having instant access to knowledge is essential. Dictionaries offer us a way to quickly find definitions, synonyms, homophones and more – all at our fingertips. With dictionary usage rising each day, its importance is undeniable!</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Dictionaries are incredibly helpful</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>From looking up unfamiliar words to discovering the origins of old sayings or phrases, dictionaries can be incredibly helpful resources in all aspects of life. They’re even a great tool for learning another language!</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Dictionaries promote lifelong learning</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>No matter how much you think you may know about a language or topic, dictionaries always hold something new to learn. Reading dictionaries regularly encourages self improvement and expands your ability to comprehend complex ideas.</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>First Dictionary Had Only 5,000 Words</h3><p class='facts-content'>The first-ever dictionary was written in the Middle Ages and contained a mere 5,000 words. Comparatively, modern English dictionaries contain over 170,000 words actively in use.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Shakespeare Added 1,700 Words to the English Language</h3><p class='facts-content'>William Shakespeare is credited with introducing around 1,700 words to the English language, many of which are listed in dictionaries today.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Dictionaries Can Contain Fake Words</h3><p class='facts-content'>Sometimes called 'Mountweazels', these are fake words or entries included to protect copyright. If the fake word shows up elsewhere, it’s evidence of copying.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>The Longest Word in an English Dictionary is 45 Letters Long</h3><p class='facts-content'>"Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis", a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust, is the longest word to be published in an English language dictionary.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>The First Thesaurus Predates First Dictionary</h3><p class='facts-content'>The first Thesaurus was compiled by Peter Mark Roget in 1805, nearly two decades before the first American dictionary was published. This resource, often used hand-in-hand with a dictionary, listed words with similar meanings together.</p></div></div>
Dictionary Day is celebrated on October 16 every year. In 2024 Dictionary Day will occur on a Wednesday.
2023
Oct 16
Monday
2024
Oct 16
Wednesday
2025
Oct 16
Thursday
2026
Oct 16
Friday
2027
Oct 16
Saturday
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