Essais d'un dictionnaire universel: contenant généralement tous les mots François tant vieux que modernes, & les termes de toutes les Sciences & des Arts

"Essais d'un dictionnaire universel" by Antoine Furetière is a dictionary published in 1684 as a preview of his comprehensive French language dictionary. This work sparked a bitter conflict with the Académie française, which held a monopoly on general dictionaries. Furetière's dictionary included specialized terminology and peripheral vocabulary, challenging academic authority. The controversy led to his expulsion from the Académie in 1685 and the revocation of his publishing privilege. The complete dictionary appeared posthumously in 1690, igniting religious and scholarly debates across Europe for decades.