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Dictionary Day

Celebrate Dictionary Day with a fun word challenge - test your knowledge and learn new words to expand your vocabulary!

Friday

October 2026

Last updated February 7, 2026 · by the Holiday Calendar Team

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YEARLY DATEOctober 16

OBSERVED INUnited States

CATEGORYSchool

SUBCATEGORYLiteracy

INTRO

Introduction

PHOTO

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!

TIMELINE

Dictionary Day Timeline

First English Dictionary

Robert Cawdrey's "A Table Alphabeticall" became the first known English language dictionary, containing approximately 3,000 words.

Dr. Johnson's English Dictionary

Samuel Johnson published "A Dictionary of the English Language" which included about 40,000 words and had a significant impact on modern English dictionaries.

Webster's English Dictionary

Noah Webster released his "American Dictionary of the English Language", becoming America's first dictionary.

Oxford English Dictionary Begins

The first fascicle of what would become the Oxford English Dictionary was published, aiming to provide a comprehensive resource of the evolving English language.

Dictionary Day Initiated

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.

Online Dictionaries Prevail

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.

GET INVOLVED

How to Celebrate Dictionary Day

Explore a new word

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.

PLAY

Play dictionary games

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.

CREATE

Create a word search

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.

CREATE

Create an acrostic poem

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.

WRITE

Write a story with only dictionary words

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.

WHY THIS DAY MATTERS

Why We Love Dictionary Day

Dictionaries promote lifelong learning

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.

Dictionaries offer quick access to information

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!

Dictionaries are incredibly helpful

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!