The name
Webster's Dictionary may refer to any of the line of
dictionaries first developed by
Noah Webster in the early nineteenth century and numerous unrelated dictionaries that adopted Webster's name just to share his prestige. The term, "Webster's" has become a
generic trademark in the U.S. for comprehensive dictionaries of the English language, however, the only succeeding dictionaries that can trace their lineage to the one established by Noah Webster are those now published by
Merriam-Webster.