Sergei Ozhegov

Sergei Ivanovich Ozhegov (August 22 1900-1964), Russian lexicographer. His main piece of work, the Slovar' i Kul'tura Russkoi Rechi (Dictionary and Culture of Russian Speech) is the most widely used reference for the Russian language today.

Vladimir Nabokov, however, compared this dictionary with that of Vladimir Dahl unfavourably, and repeatedly used Ozhegov's work as an example of "impeccably bad taste". While Nabokov is entitled to his opinion, the two dictionaries are very different in nature and complement each other rather than compete.

Ozhegov also ran the Russian Language Institute as part of the Russian Academy of Sciences to oversee and advise on the correct spelling, grammar and pronunciation of the Russian language.