United States librarian who founded the decimal system of classification (1851-1931)
"The library's new shelving arrangement was modeled after Dewey, whose decimal system revolutionized how books are organized."
a United States naval officer remembered for his victory at Manila Bay in the Spanish-American War
"Admiral Dewey's decisive victory at Manila Bay marked the beginning of the American expansion into the Pacific."
United States pragmatic philosopher who advocated progressive education (1859-1952)
"John Dewey's influential theories on progressive education transformed how American schools teach children today."
A surname, from Old French.
"The famous librarian Dewey organized the library's collection using a simple decimal system."
The surname Dewey likely originated as an English adaptation of the French place name Douai or possibly derives from the Welsh name Dewi, which means David. Both theories suggest the word traveled into English through either geographical association or direct borrowing of a personal name.