Nathan Bailey

British lexicographer

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June 18, 2026

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Nathan Bailey was an English lexicographer who died in 1742. He is known for his innovative works in dictionary compilation. In 1721, he published An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, which gained significant popularity. He also released a supplement in 1727, notable for being the first dictionary to include pronunciation accents. His later work, Dictionarium Britannicum (1730), served as a resource for Samuel Johnson's monumental dictionary.12

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From 1604 to 1828
…superseded in the 1720s when Nathan Bailey, a schoolmaster in Stepney, issued several innovative works. In 1721 he produced An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, which for the rest of the century was more popular even than Samuel Johnson’s. A supplement in 1727 was the first dictionary to mark accents for…
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…superseded in the 1720s when Nathan Bailey, a schoolmaster in Stepney, issued several innovative works. In 1721 he produced An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, which for the rest of the century was more popular even than Samuel Johnson’s. A supplement in 1727 was the first dictionary to mark accents for…
Read More