National Thesaurus Day

On January 18th, Peter Mark Roget, the author of Roget's Thesaurus, who was born on this day in 1779, is commemorated.

Roget retired from a lucrative career in medicine and spent the remainder of his life on Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases in 1840. The work was the result of decades of gathering lists of words and categorizing them, much like a scientist would gather specimens. He collected words in Ro's case. He first published his thesaurus in 1852. It was more than a book of synonyms; it was more than a book of synonyms – it was a complete categorization and organization of each word by meaning.

Since then, poets and writers have used thesaurus to help make their writing come alive. However, thesaurus also has its detractors. According to some, the thesaurus weakens speech and destroys it.

If you're looking for a more precise word or trying to improve your writing, thesaurus can be your best friend. Expanding your vocabulary improves both written and spoken communication skills, as well as creative writing skills, and can be helpful in your career advancement.

How to celebrate #nationalthesaurusday

To find the right word for your writing, use a thesaurus. To expand your vocabulary, try a word game. Explore the bookstore to find a new (or old) thesaurus to page through. Challenge friends to describe each other with as many words as possible without using thesaurus. When they do, then see how their descriptions change when they do. To post on social media, use #NationalThesaurusDay.

Thesaurus day in the United States has a rich tradition

Although the day commemorates Peter Mark Roget's birth, our analysis did not identify the observance's founder. However, we did not find new words to add to our lexicon.