Editing Century Dictionary

{{short description|English language encyclopedic dictionary by William Dwight Whitney}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox book series
| name             = ''The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia''
| image            = CenturyDictionarypage1.png
| image_caption    = First alphabetical page of the 1911 edition
| books            = 
| author           = 
| editors          = [[William Dwight Whitney]]<br>[[Benjamin Eli Smith]]
| title_orig       =
| translator       =
| illustrator      =
| cover_artist     =
| country          = United States
| language         = English
| discipline       =
| publisher        = [[The Century Company]]
| pub_date         = 1889–1891 (first edition, volumes 1–6)<br>1895 (volumes 1–10)<br>1906 (volumes 1–12)
| english_pub_date =
| media_type       = 
| number_of_books  = 12
| list_books       =
| oclc             =
| preceded by      =
| followed by      = The New Century Dictionary
}}

'''''The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia''''' is one of the largest [[encyclopedic dictionary|encyclopedic dictionaries]] of the English language. It was compared favorably with the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]],'' and frequently consulted for more factual information than would normally be the case for a dictionary.

== History ==
The ''Century Dictionary'' is based on ''[[The Imperial Dictionary of the English Language]]'', edited by Rev. [[John Ogilvie (lexicographer)|John Ogilvie]] (1797–1867) and published by [[Blackie and Son Limited|W. G. Blackie and Co]]. of Scotland, 1847–1850, which in turn is an expansion of the 1841 second edition of [[Noah Webster]]'s [[Webster's Dictionary|''American Dictionary'']].<ref>{{cite ODNB|id=20588|title=Ogilvie, John|first=John D.|last=Haigh}}</ref> In 1882 [[The Century Company]] of New York bought the American rights to ''The Imperial Dictionary'' from Blackie and Son.{{sfn|Tichenor|2005|p=90}}

The first edition of the ''Century Dictionary'' was published from 1889 to 1891 by The Century Company,{{sfn|Bailey|1996|p=9}} and was described as "six volumes in twenty four". The first edition runs to 7,046 pages and features some 10,000 wood-engraved illustrations. It was edited by Sanskrit scholar and linguist [[William Dwight Whitney]], with [[Benjamin Eli Smith]]'s assistance.{{sfn|Bailey|1996|p=6}}

[[Image:CenturyDictionaryVolumes.jpg|left|thumb|200px| [[Meredith Publishing Company]]'s 1963 edition of ''The New Century Dictionary''. Volume One: [[A]]–[[pocket veto]] and Volume Two: [[wikt:pockmark|pock-mark]]–[[zymurgy]] & Supplements]]

In 1895 a 10-volume edition was published, with the first eight volumes containing the dictionary proper, and the last two containing a [[biographical dictionary]] and a [[world atlas]]. Editions in either the 10 or 8 volume format were published in 1899, 1901, 1902, 1903 and 1904. In 1901 the title and subtitle changed slightly from ''The Century Dictionary; an encyclopedic lexicon of the English language'' to ''The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia; a work of universal reference in all departments of knowledge, with a new atlas of the world.'' Further editions were published in 1906, 1909 and 1911, this time in 12 volumes each.<ref>S. Padraig Walsh ''Anglo-American General Encyclopedias 1704–1967'' New York: R. R. Baker and Company, 1968 pp. 20–1</ref>

After Whitney's death in 1894, supplementary volumes were published under Smith's supervision, including ''The Century [[Cyclopedia of Names]]'' (1894) and ''[[The Century Atlas]]'' (1897).{{sfn|Bailey|1996|p=7}}  A two-volume ''Supplement'' of new vocabulary, published in 1909, completed the dictionary.  A reformatted edition, ''The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia,'' was published in 1911 in twelve [[quarto]] volumes: ten of vocabulary, plus the volume of names and the atlas.  This set went through several printings, the last in 1914.  The same year, the ten vocabulary volumes were published as one giant volume, about 8,500 pages in a very thin paper. The now much coveted [[India paper]] edition also appeared around this time, usually in five double volumes (rarely, in 10 single volumes) plus one additional for the Cyclopedia.

The completed dictionary contained over 500,000 entries, more than ''[[Webster's New International Dictionary|Webster's New International]]'' or ''[[Funk and Wagnalls|Funk and Wagnalls New Standard]]'', the largest other dictionaries of the period.  Each form of a word was treated separately, and liberal numbers of quotations and additional information were included to support the definitions.  In its [[etymology|etymologies]], [[Greek language|Greek]] words were not [[transliteration|transliterated]].

Although no revised edition of the dictionary was ever again published, an abridged edition with new words and other features, ''The New Century Dictionary'' (edited by H.G. Emery and K.G. Brewster; revision editor, Catherine B. Avery,) was published by [[Appleton-Century-Crofts]] of New York in 1927, and reprinted in various forms for over thirty-five years.  The ''New Century'' became the basis for the ''[[American College Dictionary]]'', the first ''[[Random House Dictionary]]'', in 1947.  The three-volume ''New Century Cyclopedia of Names'', an expansion of the 1894 volume, was published in 1954, edited by [[Clarence Barnhart]].

The ''Century Dictionary'' was admired for the quality of its entries, the craftsmanship in its design, [[typography]], and [[bookbinding|binding]], and its excellent illustrations.  It has been used as an information source for the makers of many later dictionaries, including editors of the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', who cited it over 2,000 times in the first edition. In 1913, a Ph.D. dissertation on "American Dictionaries" concluded its 14-page chapter on the ''Century Dictionary'' with the assessment that the work "far surpasses anything in American lexicography".<ref>{{Cite book| publisher = J.H. Furst| last = Steger| first = Stewart Archer| title = American Dictionaries| location = Baltimore| access-date = 2020-06-15| date = 1913| url = https://archive.org/details/americandictiona00stegrich| page=96}}</ref>

==Typography and typesetting==

The ''Century Dictionary'' was typeset and printed by [[Theodore Low De Vinne]], who gave it a typographic aesthetic that foreshadowed a norm of 20th century book printing.{{sfn|Metcalf|1996|p=18}} Prefigured in De Vinne's work on the [[Century Magazine]] from its origins as ''Scribner's Monthly'' in 1870, the printer eschewed the thin hairlines and reduced legibility of the "modern" serif typefaces that were predominantly used in the mid-eighteen-hundreds, favouring [[Caslon]] as a sturdier and more legible "old style" face instead.{{sfn|Metcalf|1996|pp=18–25}} Due to the complexity of typesetting a large dictionary, De Vinne also devised an elaborate composition stand that gave compositors access to more than seven hundred boxes of type and special sorts within easy reach.{{sfn|Tichenor|2005|pp=91–92}}

== Digitization efforts ==
The works are out of copyright, and efforts have been made to digitize the volumes.

=== 24-part set ===
1889–91
{| class="wikitable"
!Volume
!Part
!Coverage
!Digitized editions
|-
|Vol 1.
|1
|A – Appet.
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt100whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|2
|Appet. – Bice
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt200whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|3
|Bice – Carboy
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt300whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|4
|Carboy – Cono.
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt400whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|Vol 2.
|5
|Cono. – Deflect
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt500whituoft 1889–91], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona03whitgoog 1889–91]
|-
|
|6
|Deflect – Drool
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt600whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|7
|Droop – Expirant
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt700whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|8
|Expirant – Fz
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt800whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|Vol 3.
|9
|G – Halve
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt900whituoft 1889–91], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona01whitgoog 1889–91], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona05whitgoog 1889–91]
|-
|
|10
|Halve – Iguvine
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictiopt100whituoft 1889–91], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona00whitgoog 1889–91]
|-
|
|11
|Ihleite – Juno
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1100whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|12
|Juno – Lyverey
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1200whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|Vol 4.
|13
|M – Mormon
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1300whituoft 1889–91], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona02whitgoog 1889–91], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona06whitgoog 1889–91]
|-
|
|14
|Mormon – Optic
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1400whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|15
|Optic – Pilar
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1500whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|16
|Pilar – Pyx-veil
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1600whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|Vol 5.
|17
|Q – Ring
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1700whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|18
|Ring – Sea-gull
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1800whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|19
|Sea-gull – Smash
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt1900whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|20
|Smash – Stro.
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt2000whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|Vol 6.
|21
|Stru. – Term
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt2100whituoft 1889–91] [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona04whitgoog 1889–91]
|-
|
|22
|Term – Trust
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt2200whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|23
|Trust – Vysar
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictipt2300whituoft 1889–91]
|-
|
|24
|W – Z
|[https://archive.org/details/centurylexicon24whituoft 1889–91]
|}

=== Ten-volume set ===
<!-- NOTE: If adding to the lists, please check the last copyright year inside the book (after the cover page). Do not rely on the publishing year on archive.org -->
{| class="wikitable"
!Volume
!Coverage
!Editions digitized
!Notes
|-
|Vol 1
|A. B. Celt
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydict01whit 1895],  [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary01whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar01whituoft 1901], [https://archive.org/details/centurydiction01whit 1904], [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_U_FOAAAAYAAJ 1906]
|
|-
|Vol 2
|Celt. – Drool
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydiction02whit 1895], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary02whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar02whituoft 1901], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar02whit 1901], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890594 1904], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictio02whit 1904], [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb__PFOAAAAYAAJ 1906]
|
|-
|Vol 3
|Droop. E. F. G.
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar03whit 1895], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar03whituoft 1897], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary03whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890602 1904]
|
|-
|Vol 4
|H. I. J. K. L.
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar04whit 1895], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary04whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar04whituoft 1901], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona04whit 1901], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890610 1904], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictio04whit 1904]
|
|-
|Vol 5
|M. N. O. Phar.
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar05whit 1895], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary05whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar05whituoft 1901], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890628 1904]
|
|-
|Vol 6
|Phar. Q. R. Salse.
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar06whit 1895], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary06whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar06whituoft 1901], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona06whit 1901], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890636 1904]
|
|-
|Vol 7
|Salsi. – Tech.
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona07whit 1895], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary07whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar07whituoft 1901], [https://archive.org/details/centurydiction07whit 1901], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890644 1904], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar07whit 1904]
|
|-
|Vol 8
|Tech. U. V. W. X. Y. Z
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary08whit 1895], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar08whit 1897],[https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar08whituoft 1901], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictiona08whit 1901], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890651 1904] 
|
|-
|Vol 9
|Proper Names
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictionary09whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890669 1904]<br/>
Separately: [https://archive.org/details/centurycyclopedi00insmit 1894], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar09whit 1895] (Vol 1), [https://archive.org/details/centurycyclopedi09smituoft 1895] (Vol 1), [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar10whituoft 1895] (Vol 2), [https://archive.org/details/centurycycloped000smit 1914], [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_aYIhAQAAMAAJ 1918], [https://archive.org/details/newcenturycyclop012564mbp 1954] (New Century, Vol 1 of 3)
|
|-
|Vol 10
|Atlas
|[https://archive.org/details/willcenturydicti10whit 1897], [https://archive.org/details/centurydiction10whit 1901]
|
|-
|Vol 11
|Dictionary Supplement A–L
| [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091890685 1909], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar11whituoft 1910], [https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar11whit 1910], [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_AmshAQAAMAAJ 1910]
|
|-
|Vol 12
|Dictionary Supplement M–Z
|[https://archive.org/details/centurydictionar12whituoft 1910]
|
|}

===Twelve-volume set===
* [http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001183279 1911], University of Michigan and Cornell University

== Citations ==
{{reflist}}

==General sources==
* [[James Truslow Adams|Adams, James Truslow]]. ''Dictionary of American History''. New York: Scribner, 1940.
* {{cite journal |  doi = 10.1353/dic.1996.0014| issn = 2160-5076| volume = 17| issue = 1| pages = 1–16| last = Bailey| first = Richard W.| title = Origins| journal = Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America| date = 1996}}
* {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1353/dic.1996.0018| issn = 2160-5076| volume = 17| issue = 1| pages = 17–28| last = Metcalf| first = Allan| title = Typography| journal = Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America| date = 1996}}
* {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1353/dic.1996.0000| issn = 2160-5076| volume = 17| issue = 1| pages = 29–54| last = Liberman| first = Anatoly| title = Etymology| journal = Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America| date = 1996}}
* {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1353/dic.1996.0003| issn = 2160-5076| volume = 17| issue = 1| pages = 55–67| last = Gilman| first = E. W.| title = Definitions and Usage| journal = Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America| date = 1996| s2cid = 178894798}}
* {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1353/dic.1996.0006| issn = 2160-5076| volume = 17| issue = 1| pages = 68–78| last = Lance| first = Donald M.| title = Pronunciation| journal = Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America| date = 1996}}
* {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1353/dic.1996.0009| issn = 2160-5076| volume = 17| issue = 1| pages = 79–115| last = Hancher| first = Michael| title = Illustrations| journal = Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America| date = 1996}}
* {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1353/dic.1996.0012| issn = 2160-5076| volume = 17| issue = 1| pages = 116–125| last = Barnhart| first = Robert K.| title = Aftermath| journal = Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America| date = 1996}}
* {{cite thesis  |date=1913 |last=Steger |first=Stewart Archer |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/americandictiona00stegrich#page/83 |pages=83–91 |title=American dictionaries    |location=Baltimore |publisher=J.H. Furst |type=Ph.D. [[University of Virginia]] |access-date=12 March 2018 |chapter=VI. The Century Dictionary }}
* {{cite book | publisher = David R. Godine| isbn = 978-1-56792-286-8| last = Tichenor| first = Irene| title = No Art Without Craft: The Life of Theodore Low De Vinne, Printer| location = Boston| date = 2005}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|The Century Dictionary}}
* The complete ''Century Dictionary'' is [http://www.global-language.com/CENTURY/ in image form], where it can be searched by the word or viewed by the page in its original form, with zoom-in option. 
* [http://www.micmap.org/dicfro/introduction/century-dictionary The ''Century Dictionary''], and [http://www.micmap.org/dicfro/introduction/century-supplement Supplement] online with easy word search

{{Dictionaries of English}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia}}
[[Category:1889 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:English dictionaries]]
[[Category:Books about American English]]