Cotgrave

Cotgrave, Randle (early seventeenth century), an English writer, born in Cheshire, and educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, of which he was Fellow in 1578. He was secretary to William Cecil, Lord Burleigh. He published a Dictionary of the French language in 1611, which is valuable as giving some ancient and now obsolete words, and also as showing the forms and mode of spelling then in use. The second edition was published (1632) during his life. Many revised editions of the Dictionary have appeared.