Bouvier's Law Dictionary is a set consisting of two or three books with a long tradition in the United States legal community.
John Bouvier (1787–1851) was born in Codognan, France,[citation needed] but came to the United States at an early age.
He wanted to create a totally new law dictionary that would address the American legal system, so he derived his definitions almost wholly from customs, court decisions, and statutes of the United States.
A large 2-volume work, Bouvier's dictionary has been especially useful for understanding obsolete terms given in older authorities, amplifying their meanings in the American context.
[citation needed] Volumes of the early edition are considered collector items and a pristine set can fetch hundreds of dollars.