Iconophor

In the late 17th century illustrations of this type started appearing in the ornamentation of French dictionaries.

The earliest of these was César de Rochefort’s Dictionnaire général et curieux (1685); the only iconophor in it is the ornamental initial letter at A, for Annunciation.

The first lexicographical work to be ornamented with iconophors from A to Z was the supplement to Diderot and d'Alembert's Encyclopédie published in 1776.

The first dictionary with ornamental head-pieces (as opposed to mere initial letters) from A to Z was Napoléon Landais' Dictionnaire général et grammatical (1834).

A for abondance, agriculture, aigle (eagle), alouettes (larks), amitié (friendship), ara (South American parrot), Arab, archer, arquebusier, astronomie, avare (scrooge), aveugle (blind person).