Which dictionary began publication in fascicles in 1884 before its first full edition in 1928?

The dictionary that began publication in fascicles in 1884 and reached its first full edition in 1928 was the Oxford English Dictionary.

The project began with the Philological Society in the nineteenth century as an attempt to document English historically, using dated quotations to show how words and meanings developed. Oxford University Press agreed to publish it, but the work was far too large to appear as one book. Instead, editors issued unbound fascicles, or instalments, as sections of the alphabet were completed.

The first fascicle appeared on 1 February 1884 under the title A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles. The name Oxford English Dictionary began appearing unofficially on fascicle covers in 1895. The final fascicle was published in 1928, and the completed first edition was then bound in ten volumes.

That history explains two common misconceptions. The OED is not merely a list of current definitions: it is a historical dictionary, with quotations documenting usage across time. Also, 1928 marks completion of the first edition, not the end of the dictionary’s development. A supplement followed in 1933, and a second edition appeared in 1989.