Pre-Civil War Era Antique Book, Worcester’s Dictionary, 1860 Victorian Era Book

“A Primary Dictionary of the English Language” by Joseph E. Worcester. Published by Brewer & Tileston, 1860. First Edition.

This packed with tens of thousands of word entries, each defined and phonetically spelled for proper pronunciation. The book has a Pronunciation Key, Pronunciation Dictionaries of Greek and Latin Proper Names, Scripture Proper Names, and Geographical Proper Names, and Abbreviations.

Worcester was praised for the thoroughness, clarity, and adherence to literary standards in his dictionaries. Many educators, scholars, and literary figures preferred Worcester’s dictionary over Noah Webster’s, who lived during the same time. Their rivalry was known as the “dictionary wars”. Worcester’s Dictionary was widely used in schools during the mid-19th century and had a loyal following of the literary elite. It was the more popular option until the death of both men. Posthumously, the Webster family has continued to publish new editions of the Webster dictionary over time.