Michael Proffitt is the eighth chief editor for the

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a c ...

. Brought up in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, Proffitt attended the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

, where he studied English language and literature. After graduation, Proffitt took a job with the O.E.D. in 1989. While at the O.E.D, he managed the new words program for a decade, and between 2003 and 2005 worked on the "Pasadena project" as part of a team that developed a new editing system for the project. Prior to his appointment as chief editor, he worked as project director, managing a large editorial team and prioritizing work.

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Scottish lexicographers Chief editors of the Oxford English Dictionary Alumni of the University of Oxford {{editor-stub