In order to bring to the readers of the PMLA some of our new material concerning the word sonnet and to have from them suggestions and criticisms concerning our proposed methods of presenting words in our dictionary we offer here our tentative article on this particular word. A comparison of the treatment here with that given the same word in the Oxford English Dictionary will make clear, we hope, the difference in the functions of the two dictionaries. Limitations of space have made it necessary to omit even a sample of the bibliographical key which will be published with each part of the dictionary.