Gotthard Friedrich Stender | |
|---|---|
| Gothards Frīdrihs Stenders | |
 Gotthard Friedrich Stender, 1753 | |
| Born | 27 August 1714 Lassen pastorat, Oberhauptmannschaft Selburg, Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (Now Laši, Eglaine Parish, Ilūkste Municipality,  Latvia) |
| Died | 17 May 1796 (aged 81) Sunaxt pastorat, Courland Governorate, Russian Empire (Sunākste Parish, Jaunjelgava Municipality, Latvia |
| Nationality | Baltic German |
| Education | University of Jena University of Halle |
| Occupation | Lutheran pastor |
| Known for | Latvian grammarian |
| Children | 5, including Alexander Johann Stender |
| Relatives | Georg Stender (brother; ?–1789) |
Gotthard Friedrich Stender (Latvian: Gothards Frīdrihs Stenders or Ģederts Fridriks Štenders; 27 August 1714 – 17 May 1796), also called Old Stender (Vecais Stenders), was a Baltic German Lutheran pastor who played an outstanding role in Latvia's history of culture. He was the first Latvian grammarian and lexicographer, founder of the Latvian secular literature in the 18th century. In the spirit of Enlightenment, he wrote the first Latvian-German and German-Latvian dictionaries, wrote the first encyclopedia “A Book of High Wisdom on the World and Nature” (1774), and wrote the first illustrated Latvian alphabet book (1787).