Roget's Thesaurus

"Roget's Thesaurus" by Peter Mark Roget is a reference book categorized as a thesaurus, likely compiled and first published during the early 19th century. This essential resource focuses on the organization of English words and phrases, classifying them to enhance the expression of ideas and assist in literary composition, reflecting Roget’s dedication to linguistic precision and clarity. The opening of "Roget's Thesaurus" outlines the foundational purpose and structure of the work. It begins with an illustration and a formal introduction, detailing that it serves as a companion for writers and speakers seeking enriched vocabulary. The text notes the first edition's derivation from a version published in 1911 while highlighting recent supplemental updates to include contemporary terms. The central focus is a tabular synopsis of various categories, suggesting that the thesaurus is methodically organized to aid users in navigating through numerous concepts, from 'existence' to 'volition,' providing a robust framework for word selection and usage. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Peter Mark Roget was a British physician, natural theologian, lexicographer, and founding secretary of The Portico Library. He is best known for publishing, in 1852, the Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, a classified collection of related words (thesaurus). In 1824, he read a paper to the Royal Society about a peculiar optical illusion which is often (falsely) regarded as the origin of the ancient persistence of vision theory that was later commonly, yet incorrectly, used to explain apparent motion in film and animation.