[acafourek]

Uncovering the first printed use of a word is known as “antedating” and has been central to dictionary efforts since the first edition of the OED. If you’re intrigued by the topic or just appreciate historical esoterica, I highly recommend the book The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester- it’s a great quick read.

[andrewl]

The Online Etymology Dictionary is good for word histories as well:

https://www.etymonline.com/