Richard Soule

Richard Soule was an American lexicographer born in 1812 and died in 1877. Sources available online describe him as a Harvard graduate who finished his studies in 1832, then worked first as a civil engineer before moving into business and later literary work.

He is most closely associated with A Dictionary of English Synonymes and Synonymous or Parallel Expressions, a reference book designed to help readers find clearer, more exact wording. The book's long publishing life suggests it met a real need for students, writers, and speakers who wanted more control over tone and meaning.

Biographical notes also credit him with supervising editors who assisted Joseph E. Worcester in preparing Worcester's quarto dictionary. Even in a century full of monumental reference works, Soule's reputation rests on something especially approachable: making the richness of English easier to use well.