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John·son

(jŏnsən), Andrew 1808-1875.

The 17th president of the United States (1865-1869). Elected vice president (1864), he succeeded the assassinated Abraham Lincoln as president. His administration was marked by reconstruction policies in the South and the purchase of Alaska (1867). An attempt to unseat Secretary of War Edwin Stanton led to Johnson's impeachment on purely political charges brought by Republican senators (1868). Johnson was acquitted by one vote.

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Andrew Johnson

c. 1865 photograph

john·son

(jŏnsən) Vulgar Slang

The penis.

[From the name Johnson.]

Johnson, Virginia Eshelman 1925-2013.

American psychologist. She and her husband William H. Masters did pioneering research on human sexual behavior and established a sex therapy institute. The couple's publications include Human Sexual Response (1966).

Johnson, Samuel Known as "Dr. Johnson." 1709-1784.

British writer and lexicographer noted for his Dictionary of the English Language (1755), for his series of essays published under the titles The Rambler (1752) and The Idler (1758), and for Lives of the Poets (1781).

Johnson, Robert 1911-1938.

American singer and guitarist. A legendary representative of the Delta blues tradition, his recordings influenced many later blues performers.

Johnson, Lyndon Baines 1908-1973.

The 36th president of the United States (1963-1969), who succeeded to the office after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He initiated wide-ranging social programs but faced criticism over the increasing US involvement in Vietnam and did not stand for reelection in 1968.

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Lyndon B. Johnson

Johnson, Philip Cortelyou 1906-2005.

American architect who designed the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center (1964) and the American Telephone and Telegraph Headquarters Building (1978), now the Sony Building, both in New York City.

Johnson, John ArthurKnown as"Jack."1878–1946.

American prizefighter. He was the first black world heavyweight champion (1908–1915).

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Jack Johnson

Johnson, Michael Born 1967.

American runner. At the 1996 Olympics he won both the 200-meter and 400-meter sprints. In 1999, he set a world record for the latter event.

Johnson, James Weldon 1871-1938.

American writer and educator who was executive secretary of the NAACP (1920-1930). His books include The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (1912).

Johnson, James Price 1894-1955.

American pianist and composer noted for his ragtime compositions and show tunes, including "The Charleston" (1923), from the musical Running Wild.

Johnson, William Julius Known as "Judy." 1899-1989.

American baseball player who is considered among the finest third basemen in history. His batting average exceeded .300 for most of his 20 seasons in the Negro Leagues (1918-1937).

Johnson, Earvin Known as "Magic." Born 1959.

American basketball player. As a guard for the Los Angeles Lakers (1979-1991), he led his team to five world championships and was named the National Basketball Association's most valuable player three times.

Johnson, Sir William 1715-1774.

Irish-born American pioneer and public official. In the French and Indian Wars he defeated the French at Lake George (1755) and captured Niagara (1759).

Johnson, Claudia Alta Taylor Known as "Lady Bird." 1912-2007.

First lady of the United States (1963-1969) as the wife of President Lyndon Johnson. She directed a nationwide beautification project.

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Lady Bird Johnson

Johnson, Walter Perry Known as "Big Train." 1887-1946.

American baseball player. A right-handed pitcher for the Washington Senators (1907-1927), he won 20 or more games a season for 10 consecutive seasons and set a major-league record for career shutouts (110).

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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