Cooper’s Dictionary

dictionary by Cooper

Also known as: “Thesaurus Linguae Romanae et Britannicae”

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June 24, 2026

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Cooper's Dictionary, officially titled Thesaurus Linguae Romanae et Britannicae, was compiled by Thomas Cooper, an English bishop and author. First published in 1565, it was an enlarged edition of Sir Thomas Elyot's Latin-English dictionary. This work was highly regarded by Queen Elizabeth I and became known as Cooper's Dictionary.1

The dictionary was a significant contribution to English lexicography, a field that had seen early developments with interlingual dictionaries and glossaries. Cooper's work aimed to provide a comprehensive resource for understanding both Latin and English. Despite facing a setback when his wife burned the first draft, Cooper persevered and completed the dictionary, which was published in multiple editions.12

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Thomas Cooper
…Thesaurus, which became known as Cooper’s Dictionary. Cooper, who had been ordained about 1559, was made dean of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1567. Two years later he became dean of Gloucester, in 1571 bishop of Lincoln, and in 1584 bishop of Winchester. Cooper defended the practice and precept of the…
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…Thesaurus, which became known as Cooper’s Dictionary. Cooper, who had been ordained about 1559, was made dean of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1567. Two years later he became dean of Gloucester, in 1571 bishop of Lincoln, and in 1584 bishop of Winchester. Cooper defended the practice and precept of the…
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dictionary
From Classical times to 1604
…new work based upon it—Thesaurus Linguae Romanae et Britannicae (“Thesaurus of the Roman Tongue and the British”). A hundred years later John Aubrey, in Brief Lives, recorded Cooper’s misfortune while compiling it:
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…new work based upon it—Thesaurus Linguae Romanae et Britannicae (“Thesaurus of the Roman Tongue and the British”). A hundred years later John Aubrey, in Brief Lives, recorded Cooper’s misfortune while compiling it:
Read More