What was J.R.R. Tolkien’s first professional job after graduating from Oxford?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s first professional job after graduating from Oxford was assistant lexicographer.

In 1919, Tolkien began working on the staff of the New English Dictionary, now known as the Oxford English Dictionary. He helped with the letter W section, examining word histories, meanings, and relationships. His training in historical languages made the work particularly suitable for him.

The job followed his service in the First World War and his return to academic study. Tolkien had graduated from Exeter College, Oxford, in 1915, and later completed his work on the dictionary before moving into university teaching.

The OED job is sometimes described simply as dictionary work, but “assistant lexicographer” is the specific professional description commonly used. Tolkien’s experience researching word origins also illustrates the connection between his academic career and his later construction of fictional languages.