# Dr. Johnson's Dictionary

> Digital edition of Samuel Johnson's 1755 English language dictionary. (iPhone/iPad app by Evan Cater.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dr-johnsons-dictionary/id6443711816 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Evan Cater](https://appshunter.io/developer/1648611197)
- Category: Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.80/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.5 · 104 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2022-12-22
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dr-johnsons-dictionary/id6443711816/reviews.md

## What is Dr. Johnson's Dictionary?

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language is one of the most famous dictionaries in history. First published in 1755, the dictionary took just over eight years to compile, required six helpers and listed 40,000 words. Each word was defined in detail, the definitions illustrated with quotations covering every branch of learning. It was a huge scholarly achievement, a more extensive and complex dictionary than any of its predecessors – the comparable French Dictionnaire had taken 55 years to compile and required the dedication of 40 scholars.

A short while ago I heard a new word, and I wanted to consult Samuel Johnson's dictionary. I enjoyed Boswell's excellent biography "The Life of Samuel Johnson", and through it began to appreciate Johnson's literary, erudite and often humorously anachronistic definitions.

But alas, as I went to the app store with word in hand, I could not find his dictionary. So, here it is!

The word data is sourced from johnsonsdictionaryonline.org, ran by the University of Central Florida’s Center for Humanities & Digital Research. Thank you to the UCF for their hard work in curating, annotating, and cleaning up the tome for online consumption!

## Key features

- 1755 English dictionary
- Detailed word definitions
- Illustrative quotations
- Historical language reference
- Scholarly achievement

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dr-johnsons-dictionary/id6443711816/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Great idea

*2023-10-25*

This is a great idea but a little buggy. If you search for a word like “hear,” you get “hearer” and “hearing,” but “hear” itself never pops up. Same with lots of other common short words.

## Frequently asked questions about Dr. Johnson's Dictionary

### What is Dr. Johnson's Dictionary?

Dr. Johnson's Dictionary is a digital rendition of Samuel Johnson's influential 1755 dictionary of the English language. It provides detailed definitions and historical quotations for approximately 40,000 words.

### What is the source of the word data in Dr. Johnson's Dictionary?

The word data is sourced from johnsonsdictionaryonline.org, which is maintained by the University of Central Florida’s Center for Humanities & Digital Research. They have curated, annotated, and cleaned the text for online use.

### Is Dr. Johnson's Dictionary available on Android devices?

Based on the provided information, Dr. Johnson's Dictionary is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Support for Android devices is not mentioned.

### How often is Dr. Johnson's Dictionary updated?

The latest version of Dr. Johnson's Dictionary is 1.0.3, which was last updated on March 15, 2023. The initial release date was December 22, 2022.

### What is the age rating for Dr. Johnson's Dictionary?

Dr. Johnson's Dictionary has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for users aged 4 and above.

### Does Dr. Johnson's Dictionary have ads?

No, Dr. Johnson's Dictionary does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and use without any ad interruptions.

### What is the user rating for Dr. Johnson's Dictionary?

Dr. Johnson's Dictionary has a high user rating of 4.8 stars, based on 10 ratings. This suggests a very positive user experience.

### Can I use Dr. Johnson's Dictionary offline?

The provided description does not specify whether Dr. Johnson's Dictionary can be used offline. However, as it is a reference tool, it is likely designed for offline access once downloaded.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 1.0.3 — 2023-03-15

-updated marketing images

### 1.0.2 — 2023-01-27

- Bug fixes
- reduced db size

### 1.0.1 — 2023-01-24

Minor db update

### 1.0 — 2022-12-22

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*