What year was the dictionary invented?

There is no single year that can be definitively called the "invention" of the dictionary. Here's why:

* Ancient Roots: The concept of listing words and their meanings existed in ancient times. Ancient Sumerian, Babylonian, and Egyptian civilizations all had word lists and glossaries.

* Early Dictionaries: The first dictionary in the modern sense likely appeared in the 1st century AD in China.

* Evolution of Dictionaries: Throughout history, dictionaries continued to evolve in form and function. Key milestones include:

* The first English dictionary: Robert Cawdrey's "A Table Alphabeticall" (1604)

* The first comprehensive English dictionary: Samuel Johnson's "A Dictionary of the English Language" (1755)

* The rise of specialized dictionaries: Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, dictionaries for specific fields like medicine, law, and technology became prevalent.

Instead of a single "invention" date, it's more accurate to say that dictionaries have a long and complex history of development.