††††A dictionary is a book that contains a selection of the words of a language, with their pronunciations and meanings. The words are usually arranged in alphabetical order.
A dictionary for the Akkadian language, used in the regions of Mesopotamia known as Assyria and Babylonia, was produced around 600 BC. This was the first known dictionary in any language. The largest English language dictionary is the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary which was begun in 1884 and has been continuously revised since. It is now available on computer disk.
