Instead, it was a gradual process:
* Early attempts: Before the 17th century, there were various glossaries and word lists focusing on specific subjects or languages, but they weren't comprehensive English dictionaries.
* Robert Cawdrey's "Table Alphabeticall" (1604): This is often considered the first dictionary in English. It contained about 3,000 words and focused on "hard words" and unfamiliar terms, helping to understand literary works of the time.
* John Bullokar's "English Expositor" (1616): Another early dictionary, this one was more comprehensive than Cawdrey's and included more definitions and explanations.
* Nathaniel Bailey's "Universal Etymological English Dictionary" (1721): This was a major step forward, providing a much larger collection of words and incorporating etymological information (word origins).
* Samuel Johnson's "A Dictionary of the English Language" (1755): This monumental work is widely considered the first truly comprehensive English dictionary. It established many language standards, included clear definitions, and revolutionized English lexicography.
Why were dictionaries developed?
The development of dictionaries was driven by several factors:
* The growth of the English language: As English evolved and new words emerged, a need arose for a resource to define and understand them.
* Increased literacy: As more people learned to read and write, the need for accessible language resources grew.
* Standardization of the language: Dictionaries helped to establish a common understanding of words and their meanings, contributing to language standardization.
* Academic and literary pursuits: Scholars and writers needed dictionaries to research word origins, usage, and nuances of meaning.
So, while there wasn't a single "inventor" of the English dictionary, it was a gradual process driven by the changing needs and growing complexity of the English language itself.