time immemorial

en-noun

time immemorial (usually uncountable, plural times immemorial)

from time immemorial

My home is in the North of Palestine on the other side of Jordan, beyond the Sea of Galilee. My family has dwelt there from time immemorial, but they always loved this city, and have a legend that they dwelt occasionally within its walls, even in the days when Titus from that hill looked down upon the temple.

1870, B[enjamin] Disraeli, chapter XVII, in Lothair. […], volume III, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, pages 177–178:

The tower had been consecrated to this ancient diversion from time immemorial, the western façade conveniently forming the boundary of the churchyard at that end, where the ground was trodden hard and bare as a pavement by the players.

1874, Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Smith, Elder & Co., […], →OCLC:

She had worn from time immemorial an old blue satin dress, and a white crape shawl embroidered in colors; […]

1875 January–December, Henry James, Jr., Roderick Hudson, Boston, Mass.: James R[ipley] Osgood and Company, late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood, & Co., published 1876, →OCLC; republished as Roderick Hudson (EBook #176), U.S.A.: Project Gutenberg, 18 September 2016:

In every Circular or Polygonal household it has been a habit from time immemorial[…]that the mothers and daughters should constantly keep their eyes and mouths towards their husband and his male friends; and for a lady in a family of distinction to turn her back upon her husband would be regarded as a kind of portent, involving loss of status.

1884, A Square [pseudonym; Edwin A. Abbott], Flatland […] , London: Seeley & Co., Part I: This World, § 4.— Concerning the Women:

The Communists have no need to introduce community of women; it has existed almost from time immemorial.

1888 [1848], Samuel Moore, transl., edited by Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto, translation of Das Kommunistische Manifest by Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels:

This is a great tract of a hundred thousand acres, which from time immemorial has been a hunting preserve of the nobility.

1905 April–October, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1906 February 26, →OCLC:

That there is and from time immemorial has been within that part of the parish called Mablethorpe St. Mary's a laudable custom that, if any outdweller take ancient pasture ground, he shall pay a modus of 4d. an acre, and so in proportion, on the 1st of August, in lieu of all manner of tithe; and that if any of the ancient pasture be once ploughed up or meadowed, it shall, when restored to pasture again, pay 4d. the acre in the hands of such outdweller.

1917, The English Reports: Exchequer, page 789:

This thing is a "pyramid" since time immemorial, shit goes downhill, money goes up: it's that simple.

2002 September 15, David Chase, “For All Debts Public and Private”, in The Sopranos, season 4, episode 1, spoken by Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini):

(countable, uncountable) Time that extends beyond memory or record.

time that extends beyond memory or record

有史以前 (yǒushǐ yǐqián, literally “before history”)

(UK law, uncountable) Time before 6 July 1189.


Wisconsinite

My brother is a Wisconsinite; I'm Floridian.

For the two Wisconsinites, it was the type of victory that might be appreciated in these parts, an intense struggle that was defined by inelegant offense and whose most memorable moment came when players on both teams flopped to the floor after a loose ball like Packers linebackers diving on a fumble.

2022 March 20, Billy Witz, “Badgers’ Home-State Plans Become Celebration for Opposing Wisconsinites”, in The New York Times:

“We look forward to offering every Wisconsinite the opportunity to vote for people, planet and peace over profit,” Dave Schwab, the secretary of the Wisconsin Green Party, said in a statement.

2024 September 2, Alyce McFadden and Reid J. Epstein, “Green Party Eligible for the Ballot in Wisconsin”, in The New York Times:

United States of America
United States of America

A native or resident of the state of Wisconsin in the United States of America.


Forbes

Fawbush (alternative)
Fobbs (alternative)
Forbus (alternative)
Forbush (alternative)
Furbush (alternative)

A unisex given name from Scottish Gaelic.


Derrick

A male given name from the Germanic languages, variant of Derek.


Maureen

Anglicized from Irish Máirín, diminutive of Máire, an Irish equivalent of Mary. By surface analysis, Maura + -een.

I am Maureen because Uncle Louis liked the film star Maureen O'Hara. Fine. The fact that a small sallow baby born in Hull was unlikely to grow up into a flame-haired temptress with flashing green eyes and the cleavage the size of Galway was neither here or there. Maureen I became. Or Marine on the other side of the Atlantic. Also no-one in our house could foresee that since my father's name was Maurice I would be constantly called, with mounting frustration, 'Mauri-Morry-Maureen!'

2000, Maureen Lipman, Lip Reading, Franz Steiner Verlag, →ISBN, page 12:


Hellene

From Ἕλληνες (Héllēnes, “Greeks”), most probably a derivation of Ἑλλοί (Helloí) or Σελλοί (Selloí), the Greek inhabitants of the area around the sanctuary of Dodona (Δωδώνη (Dōdṓnē)). In Greek mythology Ἕλλην (Héllēn), whom the Ἕλληνες (Héllēnes, “Greeks”) were named after, was the son of Δευκαλίων (Deukalíōn) and Πύρρα (Púrrha).


Prudence

A female given name from English, one of the Puritan virtue names.


Ariel

General American, Mary–marry–merry merger

Alexander Pope
Ariel
John Herschel
The Rape of the Lock
The Tempest
William Lassell
William Shakespeare

From Biblical Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל (ari'él, a compound of אֲרִי (arí, “lion”) + אֵל (él, “God”), literally “lion of God”).
* (moon of Uranus): All of Uranus’s moons are named after characters created by William Shakespeare or Alexander Pope. The names of all four satellites of Uranus then known were suggested by John Herschel in 1852 at the request of William Lassell, though it is uncertain if Herschel devised the names, or if Lassell did so and then sought Herschel’s permission. Ariel is the name of the leading sylph in Pope’s The Rape of the Lock and also the spirit who serves Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

bor

Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezra 8:16:

All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come / To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly, / To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride / On the curl'd clouds; to thy strong bidding task / Ariel and all his quality.

Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy / The Atheist crew, but with redoubl’d blow / Ariel and Arioc, and the violence / Of Ramiel scorcht and blasted overthrew.

1667, John Milton, “Book CLX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

Of these am I, who thy Protection claim, / A watchful Sprite, and Ariel is my Name.

1712 May, [Alexander Pope], “The Rape of the Locke. An Heroi-comical Poem.”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, canto:

You don't look like a Daniel (your pre-chosen name). There's something fierce and tawny about you. You're the Lion! You're Ariel: God's Lion. You'll be my father Leon's namesake — and for your father, you'll have a Hebrew name.
I dub thee Ariel, faery spirit of my tempest. You'll be my Jerusalem...

1979, Phyllis Chesler, With Child, Crowell, →ISBN, page 121:

A male given name from Hebrew, also ascribed to spirits and angels in English literature.

"I'm going to name her Ariel," Laura said, ignoring them completely as she stared down at the baby. "The boys like the name because it's the same as the girl in the Little Mermaid movie. And I like it, because it's pretty."

1992, Kristina Logan, The Right Man for Loving, Thorndike Press, →ISBN, page 190:

All the miniature Cinderellas, Belles, and Ariels who fill the streets every Halloween are essentially paying homage to characters that will slowly and inevitably chip away at their sense of worth in years to come.

2018, Jen Kim, Love and…: Bad Boys, “The One” & Other Fun Ways to Sabotage Your Relationship, Skyhorse Publishing, →ISBN:

A female given name from Hebrew, used mainly since the 1980s.


Torontonian

en-adj

Torontonian (comparative more Torontonian, superlative most Torontonian)

more Torontonian (comparative)
most Torontonian (superlative)

Of, from, or pertaining to the city of Toronto, Canada.


Stacy

A male given name from Ancient Greek transferred from the surname.

A female given name from Ancient Greek derived from the surname, popular in the 1970s.


Stacey

Stacy (alternative)
Staci (alternative)
Stacie (alternative)

An English surname transferred from the given name derived from a medieval diminutive of Eustace.

A male given name from Ancient Greek transferred back from the surname.

It was just a brief kiss, one that even Bernadine would have thought entirely appropriate between an uncle and niece had she happened to see it. But its briefness wasn’t the whole story. In that scant second that his lips claimed hers, Stacey felt herself suffused with warmth as a most unniecely heat flooded her body.

1990, Candace Schuler, Wildcat, Harlequin Books, →ISBN, page 194:

A female given name from Ancient Greek popular in the 1970s, from the surname, sometimes also explained as a short form of Anastasia.


Burushaski

Borrowed from Burushaski بروشسکی (burū́šaskī).

bor+

Brushaski (alternative)
Burucaki (alternative)
Burucaski (alternative)
Burushaki (alternative)
Burushki (alternative)
Brugaski (alternative)
Brushas (alternative)

A language of northwestern Kashmir, not known to be related to any other language.


Zeb

Diminutive of Zebedee, Zebulun, and Zebadiah.


Zebedee

Ultimately from Ancient Greek Ζεβεδαῖος (Zebedaîos), from Hebrew זְבַדְיָה (Zəḇaḏyâ), from זַבְדִּי (zab̲dî, “my gift”). Doublet of Zebadiah.

der

Hebrew זְבַדְיָה (Zəḇaḏyâ)

(rare) A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.


Zebadiah

/ˌzɛbəˈdaɪə/

From Hebrew זְבַדְיָה (Zəḇaḏyâ, “gift of God, God has bestowed”), from זַבְדִּי (zab̲dî, “my gift”). Doublet of Zebedee.


Cassubian

en-adj

Cassubian (comparative more Cassubian, superlative most Cassubian)

more Cassubian (comparative)
most Cassubian (superlative)


Esther

From Ancient Greek Ἐσθήρ (Esthḗr), from Biblical Hebrew אֶסְתֵּר (ʾestēr). Has been connected to Old Persian 𐎠𐎿𐎫𐎼 (a-s-t-r /star-/, “star”) (whence Middle Persian 𐭮𐭲𐭫 (stl /star/, “star”), 𐭮𐭲𐭠𐭫𐭪 (stʾlk /stārag/, “star”), Persian ستاره (setâre, “star”), Northern Kurdish estêre), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr (if so, a distant doublet of star); or else to Akkadian 𒀭𒈹 (Ištar, “Ishtar”) (Hebrew עִשְׁתָּר (ʿištār)).

cog

Hebrew עִשְׁתָּר (ʿištār)


Davy

Tell him, I'll knock his leek about his pate
Upon Saint Davy's day.

1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

A diminutive of the male given name David.


Marta

Ма́рта Марта#Macedonian

A transliteration of the Macedonian, Russian, or Ukrainian female given name Ма́рта (Márta)


Suzane

A female given name from Hebrew, of rare usage, variant of Suzanne.


Suzanne

From French Suzanne. Doublet of Susanna.

'Suzanne' was the name given to the baby. It was Vivian's choice, but she had doubts about it later. Wasn't it a shade on the exotic side? Perhaps 'Susan' was preferable.

1987, Alexander Walker, The Life of Vivien Leigh, Grove Press, published 1994, →ISBN, page 43:


Susanna

From Ancient Greek Σουσάννα (Sousánna), the New Testament form of Hebrew שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (šōšannā, “lily”).

uder

Hebrew שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (šōšannā, “lily”)


Triestino

A form of the Venetan language used in Trieste, Italy.


Varangian

Ultimately from Byzantine Greek Βάραγγος (Bárangos), from Medieval Latin Varingus, from Old Norse væringi, from várr (“pledge”) or værr (“pledge”), which is cognate with Old English wǣr (“fidelity, loyalty”), + Old Norse gangi (“companion”). Cognate with Old English wærgenga.

Of or pertaining to the Varanger Peninsula in Norway.


Kathy

Cathi (alternative)
Cathie (alternative)
Cathy (alternative)
Kathi (alternative)
Kathie (alternative)

During her childhood she was a romanticized Katherine, dressed by her misty-eyed, fussy mother in dresses that looked like ruffled pillowcases. By high school she'd shed the frills and emerged as a bouncy, round-faced Kathy […] At university she was Kath, blunt and no-bullshit in her Take-Back-the-Night jeans and checked shirt […] When she ran away to England, she sliced herself down to Kat. It was economical, street-feline, and pointed as a nail.

1991, Margaret Atwood, Wilderness Tips, →ISBN, page 36:

A diminutive of the female given names Katherine or Kathleen, also used as a formal given name.


Roberta

It was many years before the house on Maple Street was forgotten as "The Quimby Place" and called by its now correct name of "The Carter House", and it was many years before Mrs. Carter succeeded in making Peyton Place call her "Roberta" instead of the frivolous and, to her, harlotish-sounding name of "Bobbie".

1956, Grace Metalious, Peyton Place, UPNE, published 1999, →ISBN, Book Two, Chapter 7:

A female given name from the Germanic languages, masculine equivalent Robert.


Robby

A diminutive of the male given name Robert.

Robby is contemplating macramé.

2020 October 19, Thunderbox Entertainment, Tsuro - The Game of The Path:

A diminutive of the female given name Roberta.


Garrett

A medieval English and Irish form of the Germanic given names Gerard and Gerald. Of Old High German origin.

Alternative form: Garret

A male given name from the Germanic languages, transferred from an English and an Irish surname, or in Ireland directly from Gerard.


Ingram

From a Middle English given name, from Proto-Germanic *Ingwaz (“a Germanic god”) + *hrabnaz (“raven”). The places are named after persons with the surname.

der

Inghram (alternative)
Ingrum (alternative)

A male given name from the Germanic languages, in modern use transferred back from the surname.


Hellenic

From Ancient Greek Ἑλληνικός (Hellēnikós, “of or relating to Greece or Greeks”), from Ancient Greek Ἑλλάς (Hellás, “Greece”), equivalent to Hellen + -ic.
The English term is a learned borrowing from Ancient Greek formed in the 17th-century, attested from ca. 1640.

The Greek language and its dialects from the earliest records (Linear B inscriptions, about 1600-1300 B.C.E.) to the present Modern Greek.


Gallic

en-adj

Gallic (comparative more Gallic, superlative most Gallic)

more Gallic (comparative)
most Gallic (superlative)
gallic (alternative)

From Latin Gallicus (“of or related to Gaul”), from Gallia (“Gaul”) + -icus (“-ic: forming adj.”), used archaically in New Latin and English in reference to modern France.

bor

(historical) Of or related to Gaul or the Gauls.

gal

of or relating to ancient Gaul or its inhabitants


Nguni

From Zulu noun stem as in umNguni (“member of Nguni people”), isiNguni (“Nguni language group”).

The group of Southern African peoples comprising the Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi, Mpondo and Ndebele nations.


Khoisan

From Khoi + San, from the pastoral Khoi tribe (formerly also called Hottentots) and the hunter-gatherer San (also known as Bushmen).
Coined by Isaac Schapera in 1930, in linguistic usage since the 1950s (following Joseph Greenberg, Studies in African Linguistic Classification, 1955).

The group of languages associated with the Khoisan including the Khoi, Kx'a and Tuu families, sometimes to the inclusion of the Hadza and Sandawe language isolates of Tanzania.


Hottentot

Borrowed from Dutch Hottentot, its first known use in Dutch being in the 1650s. The third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary concluded in 2008 that hottentot came into English in the seventeenth century. But it finds that no definitive etymology of Dutch hottentot can so far be given:
A very large number of different etymologies for the name have been suggested ... The most frequently repeated suggestion ... is that the word was a spec. use of a formally identical Dutch word meaning ‘stammerer, stutterer’, which came to be applied to the Khoekhoe and San people on account of the clicks characteristic of their languages. However, evidence for the earlier general use appears to be lacking. Another frequent suggestion is that the people were so named after one or more words which early European visitors to southern Africa heard in chants accompanying dances of the Khoekhoe or San ... but the alleged chant is rendered in different ways in different 17th-cent. sources, and some of the accounts may be based on hearsay rather than first-hand knowledge.
It does seem clear, however, that hottentot was an exonym, that is, not the Khoikhoi's own name for themselves but rather a foreign term applied to them.

Ive tried her with every […] possible sort of sound that a human being can make— […] Continental dialects, African dialects, Hottentot […] clicks, things it took me years to get hold of; and […] she picks them up like a shot, right away, as if she had […] been at it all her life.

1912 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Pygmalion”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, Act III, pages 157–158:

The language of the Khoekhoe, remarkable for its clicks.

khoi

language of the Khoekhoe — see also Khoekhoe


crop circle

An area in a field of crops where the stalks have been flattened into a circle or other geometric shape, performed as a prank or sometimes ascribed to UFO activity etc.


Jude

en-proper noun

Jude (countable and uncountable, plural Judes)

Short form of Judas, used in an attempt to distinguish the Apostle Judas Thaddaeus from Judas Iscariot. From Old Testament Judah, Hebrew יְהוּדָה (yehudá), said to mean “praised”.


Desmond

I call him Bradford because it makes me feel like I'm in a soap opera. That's what they name men on soap operas. Bradford and Desmond and Elliott and Royce.

1988, K. C. Constantine, Joey's Case, →ISBN, page 132:

A male given name transferred from the surname; popular in Britain in the first half of the twentieth century.


Mehmet

From Ottoman Turkish محمد (Mehmed, Mehmet), from Arabic مُحَمَّد (muḥammad). Doublet of Muhammad, Mahomet, and Baphomet.

doublet

A male given name from Turkish, variant of Muhammad.


Enos

From Hebrew אֱנוֹשׁ (enósh, “mortal man”).

A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.


Sherman

/ˈʃɜː(ɹ)mən/

Sense 1: From Middle English schereman, scherman; equivalent to shear + -man.

A male given name transferred from the surname.


diligence

en-noun

diligence (countable and uncountable, plural diligences)

The precepts against parties, to whose oath of verity any point is referred, do only command them to compear at the term, with certification, that if they compear not, they shall be holden as confessing the point referred to their oath; but precepts against witnesses cannot have that certification, but all that can be done against them, or against the havers of writs, is to compel them to appear, and depone; and therefore these precepts are called executorials, because they are for putting the acts to effect by execution: they are also called compulsitors for the same reason. And they are called diligences, because they excuse the users thereof from negligence, whereby posterior diligences being exacty followed, are preferable to prior diligences being neglected, vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt, which is founded upon that great interest to hasten pleas to an end. They are also called diligences, because though the effect do not follow, yet the user thereof hath endeavoured what he could, and so is held as in the same case as if he had obtained the command of the precept. These precepts are called executorials before executions be thereupon; but they are only called diligences when they are executed in due time.
... Diligences are of three sorts, being either upon precepts before decreets, upon acts, or upon decreets.
The last sort of diligences and executorials, viz. those after decreets, which serve for putting of decreets to execution, and making them effectual, are ordinarily horning, caption, poinding, charges to remove, and thereupon letters of possession, (which are granted on all decreets in petitory and possessory actions, but declaratory actions need none,) together with the executory actions upon arrestments, and of adjudications of lands and annualrents..

1832 James, Viscount of Stair and J,S, More. The institutions of the law of Scotland. Vol 2, p 705

(Scots law) The process by which persons, lands, or effects are seized for debt; process for enforcing the attendance of witnesses or the production of writings.


Patty

Pattie (alternative)
Patti (alternative)

"That sounds like Aunt Isabel. They always called me Patricia there. Don't you think, papa, now that I'm getting so grown up, I ought to be called Patricia? Patty is such a baby name."
"Patty is good enough for me," said Mr. Fairfield.

1904, Carolyn Wells, “Shopping”, in Patty at Home, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, →OCLC, page 56:

A diminutive of the female given name Patricia.

(rare) A male given name, a diminutive of the male given name Patrick.


Harris

en-proper noun

Harris (countable and uncountable, plural Harrises)

From Harry + -s (“patronymic suffix”). From Harry, a male given name derived from a Middle English pronunciation of Old French Henri.


Harrison

Harrison (countable and uncountable, plural Harrisons)


Parker

Parker (countable and uncountable, plural Parkers)


Bennett

Bennett (countable and uncountable, plural Bennetts)

Bennetts (plural)
Benett (alternative)
Bennet (alternative)

A male given name from Latin transferred back from the surname.


Griffith

Griffith (countable and uncountable, plural Griffiths)

A male given name from Welsh used in Wales.


Agnes

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἁγνή (Hagnḗ), coming from Ancient Greek ἁγνός (hagnós, “pure, chaste”), Ancient Greek ἁγνεία (hagneía, “purity, chastity”). Doublet of Inez.

der

Why do you call Mrs. Stone Aggie? Agnes is such a beautiful name, it is a shame to nick it in that way." Then, quickly regretting his impatience, he added, "You would not have been jealous, would you, Jenny?

1876, Annie Howells Fréchette, “Reuben Dale”, in The Galaxy, W.C. and F.P.Church, 1876, page 394:

Right then and there in her mind she had christened it Agnes, the only name she knew elegant enough for such a peerless creature. - - - She held the doll so her brothers could see. "Look, isn't she beautiful? Her name is Agnes.[...]Agnes? Agnes?" Jack gagged realistically. "What a soppy name! Why don't you call her Margaret or Betty?

1977, Colleen McCullough, The Thorn Birds, Harper & Row, →ISBN, page 3,5:

I found myself wanting to explain it to her, this middle-aged woman with the kind of haircut you call a hairdo, which needed to be set in rollers every night, who had a name like Agnes or Harriet, a name that even predated my mother's generation.

1995, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America, Riverhead Books, →ISBN, page 14:


Papiamentu

A Creole language spoken on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire.


Joanne

From Old French Joanne, from Latin Joanna, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets.
Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.

doublet

"Ye've seen the Lady?"
"I have," said I; "and I have seen the young ladies too, except Miss Joanne."
"Ye may just as weel lay by the Miss, and ca' her Joan, like her mother afore her, noo—They've flung the puir lassie clean aff, Mr Waldie. Greeting for the father, and nae thought for the bairn—that's the warld's way, Mr Waldie.—But God strikes not wi' baith hands, young man...

1824, John Gibson Lockhart, The History of Matthew Wald, page 192:

Jocasta wasn't Jocasta's name: her real name was Joanne. She changed it when she was thirty-eight because, as she said what can you do with a name like Joanne? Too nice. She didn't dye her hair green or wear a safety pin in her ear but calling herself Jocasta was the equivalent. Good taste kills, said Jocasta.

1981, Margaret Atwood, Bodily Harm, →ISBN, page 24:


Joanne

Jo (alternative)
JoAnne (alternative)
Jo-Anne (alternative)
Jo Anne (alternative)
Joann (alternative)
JoAnn (alternative)
Jo-Ann (alternative)
Jo Ann (alternative)
Jo-An (alternative)
JoAn (alternative)
Jo An (alternative)
Johanne (alternative)

From various feminine names clipped to Jo + Anne, q.v.


Fritz

From German Fritz, pet form of Friedrich (“Frederick”).

A diminutive of the male given name Friedrich.


Mitchell

en-prop

Mitchell (countable and uncountable, plural Mitchells)

Mitchells (plural)
Mitchel (alternative)
Matsell (alternative)

Translingual: markmitchelli

From a Middle English vernacular form of the Old French given name Michel (“Michael”), or in some cases from a Middle English nickname muchel (“big”).

(countable) A male given name transferred from the surname.


Idiom Neutral

An artificial language, created by Waldemar Rosenberger in 1902, partially derived from Volapük, with a vocabulary consistently selected on the basis of the maximum internationality of the roots.


collegiate church

en-noun

collegiate church (plural collegiate churches)

A Christian church, other than a cathedral, that has a chapter of canons and a dean or provost.


ufology

ufology (countable and uncountable, plural ufologies)

ufologies (plural)
UFOlogy (alternative)

/ˌjuːɛfˈɑləd͡ʒi/

I'm an expert in my field
Ufology, yes, it's all real
Ancient aliens, it's all true
I'm an expert just like you

2016, Neil Cicierega (lyrics and music), “Touch-Tone Telephone”, in Spirit Phone, performed by Lemon Demon:


ufologist

ufologists (plural)
UFOlogist (alternative)

Still, something strange was afoot in Rendlesham, and even if the file is unlikely to satisfy either ufologists or debunkers, it suggests that the truth is still out there.

2002 December 8, Scott Veale, “Word for Word/The Rendlesham File; Let There Be Lights: Britons Get One Less Thing to Worry About”, in The New York Times:

But fear of abduction never stopped a good ufologist.

2010, Monte Dwyer, Red in the Centre: Through a Crooked Lens, Monyer Pty Ltd, page 122:


Tsakonian

Tsaconian (alternative)
Tzakonian (alternative)

A Hellenic language spoken in Tsakonia, a part of the Peloponnese region of Greece.


Setswana

A language spoken widely in Southern Africa, mainly in Botswana and South Africa in the Northern Cape, the central and western Free State and in the North West province, and also, to a lesser extent, in Namibia, also known as Tswana.


Tsimshian

Chimmesyan (alternative)
Tsimpshean (alternative)
Tsimpshian (alternative)
Tsimshean (alternative)


Tsonga

The Bantu language spoken by these people.


Gabby

A diminutive form of the male given name Gabriel.

A diminutive form of the female given names Gabrielle, Gabriella and Gabriela.


Gabrielle

From French Gabrielle, feminine form of Gabriel (see there for more).


Carter

en-prop

Carter (countable and uncountable, plural Carters)

As an English name, from the occupation carter. As an Irish name, from Irish Mac Artúir (literally “son of Arthur”).


Collins

en-proper noun

Collins (countable and uncountable, plural Collinses)

Collinses (plural)
Collin (alternative)
Colin (alternative)
Collings (alternative)
Colling (alternative)
Collis (alternative)
Colins (alternative)
Collen (alternative)
Cullan (alternative)

* As an English surname, variant of Colin.
* As an Irish and Manx surname, from Ó Coileáin, see Cullen, McQuillan, and McCallion.
* As a French surname, Americanized from Collin and Colette.
* As a Slovene surname, Americanized from Kolenc, from koleno (“knee”) and the obsolete kolenc (“nipplewort”).


Coll

A medieval English short form of the male given name Nicholas; very rare today.


Hussain

A male given name from Arabic: alternative spelling of Husayn


Hittite

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-Hittite.wav

From Biblical Hebrew חִתִּי (ḥittî), from Hittite 𒄩𒋾 (ḫati), perhaps ultimately an exonym related to Hatti. In reference to the Indo-European-speaking people of Asia Minor (as opposed to the Biblical Hittites), this term was first used in the early 20th century in confusion with the neighboring Hattites (Hattic) whose language was recorded in discovered texts as [script needed] (ḫattili). It is now known that the Hittites called themselves 𒉈𒋗𒈨𒉌𒌍 (ne-šu-me-né-eš /nešumeneš/, “people from the city of Nesha”), hence the much less used alternative name Nesite or Neshite.

The study of the main body of Hittite texts was intrusted^([sic]) to the Austrian scholar Hrozny, who in 1915 published a preliminary account of his results[…]

1920, Carl D. Buck, “Hittite an Indo-European Language?”, in Classical Philology, volume 15, number 2, →DOI, page 185:

An ancient Indo-European language of the Anatolian branch, attested from the 16th century BC until the 13th century BC.


Wall Street

From wall + street. The term is the name of a street in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.A., where the palisade of New Amsterdam was once located. The street is known for the many major U.S. financial institutions located there.

The causes of income stagnation are varied and lack the political simplicity of calls to bring down the deficit or avert another Wall Street meltdown.

2012 October 23, David Leonhardt, “Standard of living is in the shadows as election issue”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-12-11:

financial institution
financial institution

(originally US, metonymically) American financial institutions or financial markets as a whole; (by extension) big-business interests.


Miller

en-prop

Miller (countable and uncountable, plural Millers)

French: Miller

Translingual: Mill.

English surname, capitalization of miller. Doublet of Muller. Also compare Milner, Millward, Müller, Mueller, Mulder, Molenaar, Muenier, Molinaro, Molinero, Molnár, Mlinar, Mlynarczyk.

A male given name transferred from the surname.


Murphy

From Irish Ó Murchadha (“descendant of Murrough”), Mac Murchaidh (“Son of Murrough”), etc. See Muircath.

der

Sonja made me promise I would go to college. She said she'd wanted her daughter, Murphy, to go. She'd named her baby Murphy because it could never be a stripper name. But her daughter had changed her name to London.

2012, Louise Erdrich, The Round House, Corsair, published 2013, →ISBN, page 178:

A unisex given name transferred from the surname, of occasional usage.


Sim

From Middle English Sym, diminutive of Simeon and Simon.

The other [witness] was one Sim Doolittle, the fish hawker from Allerfoot, jogging home in his fish cart from Gledsmuir fair.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

A male given name, diminutive of Simeon and Simon.


Anderson

en-prop

Anderson (countable and uncountable, plural Andersons)

Andersons (plural)
Andison (alternative)

From Middle English Ander (“Andrew”) + -son, after Saint Andrew, patron saint of Scotland. In the United States, sometimes an anglicization of Danish and Norwegian Andersen or Swedish Andersson.


Ellis

Ellis (countable and uncountable, plural Ellises)

* As an English surname, from the Middle English personal name Elis, an Old French form of Elias. Compare Elijah, Lias, Ely. Also sometimes from the Elice, a pet form of Elizabeth.
* As a Welsh surname, shortened from the personal name Elisse, Elisedd, from the archaic elus (“benevolent, kind”).

A surname from Welsh [in turn originating as a patronymic] and A male given name from Welsh, an anglicization of Elisedd.

A unisex given name transferred from the surname.


Wilkinson

en-proper noun

Wilkinson (countable and uncountable, plural Wilkinsons)


Ahmed

A male given name from Arabic, variant of Ahmad.


Powell

Powell (countable and uncountable, plural Powells)

The anglicized form of Welsh ap Hywel (“son of Hywel”). Related to Howell and Huell. Sometimes also associated with Paul by folk etymology.


Singh

From Hindi सिंघ (siṅgh, “lion”) or Punjabi ਸਿੰਘ (siṅgh, “lion”). Doublet of Sinha.

A male given name from Sanskrit used by Sikhs, often but not necessarily a middle name.


Tariq

Borrowed from Arabic طَارِق (ṭāriq, “messenger, nocturnal visitor, or morning star”), from طَرَقَ (ṭaraqa, “to knock, to rap”)


Slovenian

en-noun

Slovenian (countable and uncountable, plural Slovenians)

Slovene (from German, from Slovene) + -ian.

(uncountable) The official language of Slovenia.


Pict

From Latin Pictus, probably rendering a Pictish autonym; see the Latin entry for details. Compare Old English Peohtas, which appears to show the effects of Grimm's law.

A member of an ancient people of northern and central Scotland.


Paula

From Latin Paula, feminine form of Paulus (“Paul”).

Names are fascinating, aren't they? I love mine. I think my parents had very good taste calling us Peter and Paula and Melinda.

1977, Ruth Rendell, A Judgement in Stone, Vintage Books, published 2000, →ISBN, pages 106–107:


Punic

From Latin pūnicus, variant of poenicus, from Poenus + -icus, from Ancient Greek Φοῖνιξ (Phoînix), from Mycenaean Greek 𐀡𐀛𐀑𐀍 (po-ni-ki-jo) under influence from φοινός (phoinós, “crimson red”) owing to its relation to Tyrian purple, apparently from or cognate with Egyptian fnḫw (“Asiatics, Semites”), f:n:x-w-V12:Z2. Equivalent to a modified Phoenician + -ic.


Sabellian

From Latin Sabellus + -ian, pertaining to the Sabellī, an Italic tribe, from Proto-Italic *saβn- (whence also Samnium, Samnones, Sabus, Sabīnus), perhaps from an uncertain Proto-Indo-European root, sometimes identified with the reflexive pronoun *swé (“self”) for the assumed meaning “one's own” (compare Proto-Germanic *swēbaz for a similar etymology), but this is highly suspect on phonetic grounds.

A certain language once spoken in Umbria, Italy.


Sambo

A nickname from the given name Samantha.


Angelina

en-proper noun

Angelina (countable and uncountable, plural Angelinas)

/ˌænd͡ʒəˈliːnə/

A female given name from Ancient Greek, an Italian diminutive of Angela.


Marius

From Latin Marius, a Roman family name probably derived from Mars. By folk etymology seen as a masculine form of Maria.


dalet

dalets (plural)
daled (alternative)
daleth (alternative)

From a Phoenician word for "door", ultimately from Proto-Semitic *dalt-; compare Hebrew דֶלֶת (délet). Doublet of delta.

The fourth letter of many Semitic alphabets (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others).


Sonny

'I was christened "Sonny"', the boy said with a protective formality which was clearly of some years' growth. ' It seems to have been all right then. Fashionable, you know. Now, of course, it's ghastly. Everyone calls me Sinclair, even Mother.'

1938, Margery Allingham, The Fashion in Shrouds, page 136:

Sonny had had to change his mind about so many things, as his life changed, as the very meaning of his ridiculous name changed - first a hangover from sentimental parents, then a nickname to reassure the crowds at rallies that he was one of them, then an addendum to his full names in a prison dossier: 'also known as Sonny'. A common criminal with aliases.

1990, Nadine Gordimer, My Son's Story, page 55:

Sonia was hired and quickly persuaded everyone to call her “Sonny.” Josie recalls, “For some reason, she did not care for her first name, but I thought it was beautiful. I was surprised that she spelled her nickname 'Sonny' rather than 'Sunny', but I suppose it was because of the letter 'o' in Sonia.

2009, Del Halterman, Walk-Don't Run - The Story of the Ventures, →ISBN, page 58:

She couldn't believe Irina had said that so openly. Then Sonny gasped before she could stop herself. “What is it?” Irina looked down at herself. “What's the matter?” “Nothing.” Sonny shook her head and took up her notes as if to discuss them.

2009, Trish Perry, Sunset Beach, →ISBN, page 135:

"The guy who wrote Sonny her very first fan letter . . . Give it up for Eric!” [...] "Marshall, I have to say something." Marshall looked a little puzzled at Sonny's serious tone of voice, but he handed the microphone to her.

2011, N. B. Grace, Sonny With A Chance: Making the Cut, →ISBN, page 10:

Sonny suddenly recall a prayer her mother had said to her before she left for Colombia. They that hope in the Lord will [...] soar [...]. And then her mother had said, "Go soar, Sonny." Her mother had faith in her and she had to draw strength from that faith now. It was almost as if she'd known Sonny would need this verse at some point to keep her going.

2016, Lisa Mondello, Her Only Protector, →ISBN:

A diminutive of the female given name Sonia.


Calvin

Latinization of Norman-Picard Cauvin, a nickname for a chauve (“bald”) person.

Marty McFly: Calvin? Wh… Why do you keep calling me Calvin?
Lorraine Baines: Well, that is your name, isn't it? Calvin Klein? It's written all over your underwear.

1985, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, Back to the Future:

(chiefly US) A male given name transferred from the surname.


Madeline

Anglicized from French Madeleine, from Ancient Greek Μαγδαληνή (Magdalēnḗ). Doublet of Madeleine and Magdalene.


Stanford

Various place names from Old English stān (“stone”) + ford (“ford”).
The university is named after the son of railroad magnate Leland Stanford.

Stanford (disambiguation)
Stanford University


Erzya

Erzya (countable and uncountable, plural Erzyas)

A Finno-Ugric language spoken primarily in the Volga region of Russia, but is also spoken in Azerbaijan, Estonia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.


Dalmatian

Dalmatians (plural)
dalmatian (alternative)

(demonym) A native or inhabitant of Dalmatia.


Dalmatian

An extinct Romance language that was once spoken in Dalmatia.


Paola

Paola (countable and uncountable, plural Paolas)


Clare

The anglicized spelling of Irish Clár, from Old Irish clár (“plank, board”), from Proto-Celtic *klāros, *klārom (“table”).


Clare

Medieval English vernacular form of Clara, from the Latin clara, feminine of clarus (“bright, shining, clear”), a post-classical name made famous by the 13th century Saint Clara of Assisi.
In Oxfordshire, from Clarora, a clay slope.

Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more,
But rather wishing a more strict restraint
Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare.

Following Francis' example, Clare founded an order of religious women known as the Poor Ladies of Assisi (like Francis' Poor Men), and later as the Clarissas or Poor Clares in her honor.

1991, Thomas Head, "Clare of Assisi", An Encyclopedia of Continental Women Writers

"What's your name?"
"Clare Fairweather," she said. "Awful, isn't it?" and went away, hiding her mirth.

1999, Margaret York, The Price of Guilt, page 58:

A female given name from Latin, more often spelled Claire from the 20th century onward.


Clare

A male given name transferred from the surname, of quite uncommon usage.


Yuri

From Russian Ю́рий (Júrij, “George”). Doublet of George.

Iurii (alternative)
Yurii (alternative)
Yuriy (alternative)
Yury (alternative)

Ю́рий Юрий#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian male given name Ю́рий (Júrij), equivalent to George.

Yuri

Male given name originating from Russian


Yuri

* From Japanese Yuri (Yuri), from ゆり.
* From Japanese Yūri (Yūri), from ゆうり.
"Yuri" is a transliteration of several source forms, 由里, 由理, 由梨, 由利, 祐里, 友里, 友理, 悠里.

Yuuri (alternative)
Yuhri (alternative)
Yūri (alternative)

Yuri

Female given name originating from Japanese

ゆうり

由里, 由理, 由梨, 由利, 祐里, 友里, 友理, 悠里


Korean English

A dialect of the English language that is chiefly spoken in the Republic of Korea. Compare British English, American English.


Konglish

He stands back and witnesses with awe the language’s myriad offshoots, like Manglish (Malay and English) and Konglish (English in South Korea).

2010 May 25, Dwight Garner, “English as a Juggernaut Conquers the World With Glee and an OMG”, in New York Times:

(derogatory) Any of various varieties of Korean English having distinctive lexis, syntax and phonology.


Scottish English

A variety of the English language that is spoken mostly in Scotland.


Tyrolean

Tirolean (alternative)
Tyrolian (alternative)
Tirolian (alternative)


Gertrude

From Old French [Term?], from Proto-Germanic *gaizaz (“spear”) + *þrūþiz (“strength”) or *trut- (“maiden, dear”) ; name of a Belgian seventh century saint.

O Gertrude, Gertrude! / When sorrows come, they come not single spies, / But in battalions.

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:

"We two," she said, "will seek the groves / Where the lady Mary is, / With her five handmaidens, whose names / Are five sweet symphonies, / Cecily, Gertrude, Magdalen, / Margaret and Rosalys.

1850, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, The Blessed Damozel, lines 103–108:

A female given name from the Germanic languages.


Hilbert

From a Middle English given name of Proto-Germanic origin, from Old English hild (“battle”) + beorht (“bright”) (Proto-Germanic *Hildiberhtaz).

'An old family name,' he told his wife, though this was not true at all, his uncle's being thus christened having been an isolated instance of the use of Hilbert. There had been a fashion in the late nineteenth century for Germanic names and his uncle, born in 1902, had caught the tail end of it.
'I don't like that at all,' his wife had said. 'People will think it's really Gilbert or Albert. I don't want him teased, poor baby.'

1987, Barbara Vine, A Fatal Inversion, →ISBN, pages 48–49:

(rare) A male given name from the Germanic languages.


Bryn

From Welsh bryn (“hill, mound”) or, in the Greater Manchester place-name, Cumbric brinn (“hill”).

A female given name from Welsh in occasional modern use.

Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester#English

A suburb of Ashton-in-Makerfield, Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England (OS grid ref SD5700).


Titus

Borrowed from Latin Titus, a Roman and Sabine praenomen meaning either "honorable" or "strong; of the giants".


Philemon

Philemon (countable and uncountable, plural Philemons)

From Ancient Greek Φιλήμων (Philḗmōn), from φιλήμων (philḗmōn, “kindly, affectionate”), from φιλέω (philéō, “I love”).

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow labourer.


Gretchen

On the invitation list: Govs. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Tim Walz of Minnesota, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Wes Moore of Maryland and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico.

2024 February 7, Edward-Isaac Dovere, “Harris set to host Democratic governors this weekend to discuss 2024 campaign”, in CNN:

A female given name from German of German origin; a pet form of Margaret.


Dravidian

/dɹəˈvɪdɪən/

From Sanskrit द्राविड (drāviḍa) + -ian. *tamiḻ > *damiḷ > damiḷa- / damila- and further, with the intrusive, 'hypercorrect' (or perhaps analogical) -r-, into dr(a/ā)viḍa.

A family of related ethnicities and languages primarily in Southern India, Northeast Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh.


Votic

From Vote + -ic, named after the Votes who speak it.

A nearly extinct Finno-Ugric language spoken in Ingria.


Ossetian

The Eastern Iranian language spoken by these people.


Kath

During her childhood she was a romanticized Katherine, dressed by her misty-eyed, fussy mother in dresses that looked like ruffled pillowcases. By high school she'd shed the frills and emerged as a bouncy, round-faced Kathy - - - At university she was Kath, blunt and no-bullshit in her Take-Back-the-Night jeans and checked shirt - - - When she ran away to England, she sliced herself down to Kat. It was economical, street-feline, and pointed as a nail.

1991, Margaret Atwood, Wilderness Tips, →ISBN, page 36:

A diminutive of the female given names Katherine, Kathleen, and related names.


Kwame

An ancient and traditional Akan day-name meaning "from Amen/Amon/Amun" that may be given to a male child born on a Saturday. Popularized in the 1960s when Kwame Nkrumah was the Prime Minister of Ghana.


Western Apache

The Southern Athabascan language spoken by the Western Apache people.


Jicarilla

Borrowed from Spanish jicarilla, diminutive of jícara, from Nahuatl xicalli.

An Athabascan language spoken by the Jicarilla people.


Chiricahua

Via Spanish Chiricahua, most likely from Opata chiguicagui (“mountain of the wild turkey”).


Yugambeh

An Australian aboriginal language, spoken by peoples living on what is roughly now the Gold Coast in South East Queensland.


Iain

From Scottish Gaelic. Cognate of John, see there for more.

A male given name from Scottish Gaelic, equivalent to English John.


Proto-Greek

The earliest form of the Greek language, the common ancestor of the Greek dialects, including Mycenaean and the classical Greek dialects.


Sasha

Borrowed from the Slavic diminutive form of Alexander and Alexandra; in English mostly from Russian Са́ша (Sáša), a diminutive form for both Алекса́ндр (Aleksándr, “Alexander, male”) and Алекса́ндра (Aleksándra, “Alexandra, female”).

Са́ша

very common form of name for both men and women

A male given name from Russian or Ukrainian.

A female given name from Russian or Ukrainian.


Irani

From Iranian Persian ایرانی (irâni) (ērānī in classical Persian).

(nonstandard) a person from Iran or of Iranian heritage


Sammi

A female given name, diminutive of Samantha.


Betawi

Borrowed from Indonesian Betawi. Doublet of Batavia and Passau.

The Betawi language, a native language spoken by the Betawi people.

basè Betawi

Language spoken by the Betawi ethnic group


Ade

The surname derives from medieval forms of Adam or Adrian.


common law

(law, Scots law, Roman-Dutch law) Law of general application throughout a country, province, or state as opposed to law having only a special or local application

Scots law; Roman-Dutch law; Scots law; Roman-Dutch law


Connel

en-proper noun

Connel (countable and uncountable, plural Connels)

A male given name transferred from the surname.


Kölsch

The Germanic/German dialect spoken in and around Cologne, Germany, part of the Ripuarian language area


Chandler

Candler (alternative)
Chander (alternative)

/ˈt͡ʃændləɹ/

Indeed what do the tensomethings, who might be watching the show at that hour, make of jokes like Joey telling Chandler that his uncle Sal has a really big tongue.

1996, Television Quarterly: The Journal of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, volume XXVIII, number 3, page 4:

A unisex given name transferred from the surname.


Tamazight

Borrowed from Central Atlas Tamazight ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ (tamaziɣt), the feminine form of ⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖ (amaziɣ).
The construction ⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖ (maziɣ) suggests that is an ancient verbal adjective of the Proto-Berber verb *MZƔ "to be noble", attested in Tamazight mmuzeɣ (“to be prestigious”) and Tamajeq mujeɣ (“to be noble, brave”).
This has caused some authors to translate Tamazight as "the noble language". In any case, ⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖ (maziɣ) is an ethnonym for the Amazigh people today, and it has been historically the case for a number of Amazigh groups in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya and under variant forms amongst the Tuareg. Tamazight is, naturally, the name of the language of the Imazighen.

bor

The continuum of closely-related Amazigh languages spoken in Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and other parts of northern Africa.

A specific continuum of mutually intelligible dialects spoken mainly by the Imazighen of the Middle Atlas and High Atlas regions in Morocco.


Marah

A female given name from Arabic, from Arabic, which means merriness, cheerfulness.


Marah

A female given name from Hebrew, from Hebrew which means bitterness. Biblical variant: Mara.


Molossian

A member of the ancient Epirote ethnos which Olympias came from.


Olympias

A female given name from Ancient Greek, of historical usage.


Alexandros

Transliteration of Greek Αλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), a male given name used in (modern) Greece. Cognate with English Alexander.

Αλέξανδρος Αλέξανδρος#Greek

A transliteration of the Greek male given name Αλέξανδρος (Aléxandros).


Shiva

From Sanskrit शिव (śivá, “the auspicious one”).

uder

Śiva (alternative)
Shiv (alternative)
Shivan (alternative)

A male given name from Sanskrit used in India.


Tausug

Borrowed from Tausug Tausūg, from tau + sūg, literally "people of the current".

A Visayan language (Malayo-Polynesian) spoken mainly in Sulu province in the Philippines, eastern Sabah in Malaysia and North Kalimantan in Indonesia.


Norman French

Some of us can preach, in English-Saxon, in Norman French, and even in Monk-Latin; others cannot in any language or jargon, being stupid.

1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, chapter VI, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk), page 67:

A dialect of Old French spoken in medieval Normandy, and in England following the Norman Conquest.


Salish

Synonym of Salishan; Of or relating to the Salish people or their languages.


wy

The names of the letters, as now commonly spoken and written in English, are A, Bee, Cee, Dee, E, Eff, Gee, Aitch, I, Jay, Kay, Ell, Em, En, O, Pee, Kue, Ar, Ess, Tee, U, Vee, Double-u, Ex, Wy, Zee.

1856, Goold Brown, The First Lines of English Grammar, page 10:


Theresa

First used in Spain, supposedly derived from Latin Thēra, from Ancient Greek Θήρᾱ (Thḗrā), name of a city in Santorini, Greece.

"Theresa!" exclaimed the stranger, "is your name Theresa?" asked she, a death-like paleness at the same time overspreading her countenance.
"Is this name so frightful to you?" enquired the recluse.
"Frightful!" rejoined the stranger, "O, no, I venerate it, like the name of a saint. I had once an unknown friend, whose name was Theresa.

1810, Tales of real life: forming a sequel to miss Edgeworth's Tales of fashionable life, volume 1, London: Henry Colburn, page 72:

"Theresa,", he said. "I never cared for that name."
Justine nodded, chewing.
"I don't like difficult names. I don't like foreignness."
"Perhaps they're Catholic," Justine said.

1976, Anne Tyler, Searching for Caleb, Berkley Books, New York, published 1983, →ISBN, page 7:

A female given name from Ancient Greek, variant of Teresa.


OST

Office of Science and Technology
w:Office of Science and Technology

(UK politics, historical) Initialism of Office of Science and Technology.


Nehemiah

From Hebrew נְחֶמְיָה (“consolation of Yahweh”).

der

A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.


Isaiah

From Ancient Greek Ἠσαΐας (Ēsaḯas) from Hebrew יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (yəšaʿyā́hū).

יְשַׁעְיָהוּ

Hebrew יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (yəšaʿyā́hū)


Mira

* Borrowed from Hindi मीरा (mīrā), name of a 16th century Indian poetess, also affectionately called Mirabai.
* As occasionally borne by anglophones in the West, the name may also be borrowed from Slavic, or be a short form of Miranda.

Dorothy's daughters were of exceptional beauty and the sisters could complain only that the Hindi names Dorothy had chosen - Mira, Leela, Lena - were meant to pass as Western ones.

1961, V. S. Naipaul, A House for Mr Biswas, Penguin Books, published 1977, →ISBN, page 366:

(by extension) A female given name from India.


Qatabanian

Qatabānian (alternative)
Qatabanic (alternative)
Qatabānic (alternative)

the extinct Old South Arabian language of the Qatabanians

قَتَبَانِيّة

the extinct OSA languages of the Qatabanians


Qashqai

From Persian قشقایی, from the name in Qashqai, قشقایی.

Gashgai (alternative)
Ghashghai (alternative)
Kashgai (alternative)
Khashgai (alternative)
Qashgai (alternative)
Quashgai (alternative)
Quashqai (alternative)


Q-Celtic

Due to these languages retaining the phoneme /*kʷ/, as opposed to P-Celtic in which it changed to /*p/.

More generally, any Celtic language (such as Celtiberian) where Proto-Celtic *kʷ became [k] or remained as [kʷ]


Quapaw

The Dhegihan language spoken by these people.


Abkhaz

A Northwest Caucasian language spoken in Abkhazia.

аԥсуа

a Northwest Caucasian language spoken in Abkhazia


Acholi

Acoli (alternative)
Acooli (alternative)
Akoli (alternative)
Atscholi (alternative)
Shuli (alternative)

A Nilo-Saharan language spoken primarily by this people, in the districts of Gulu, Kitgum and Pader, a region known as Acholiland in northern Uganda.


Adangme

A Niger-Congo language spoken in southeastern Ghana.

Dangme

a Niger-Congo language spoken in southeastern Ghana


Afrihili

Blend of Africa + Swahili, coined in 1970.

constructed language
constructed language

A constructed language designed to be used as a lingua franca in all of Africa.


sacellum

(historical) In Ancient Rome, a shrine open to the sky, sometimes used for sacrificial purposes, or in honor of the divine.


Emanuel

Variant of Emmanuel, borrowed from Spanish and from various other European languages.


Emmanuel

Cade. What is thy name? / Clerk. Emmanuel. / Dick. They use to write it on the top of letters. 'Twill go hard with you.

Some call their sons Emmanuel : this is too bold. The name is proper to Christ, therefore not to be communicated to any creature.

1629, Thomas Adams, Meditations upon Creed: The Works of Thomas Adams, James Nichol (1862), volume 3, page 212:

A male given name from Hebrew of Biblical origin.


Kati

A rare modern spelling variant of Katie, diminutive of the female given name Katherine.


Miwok

Miwok means "the people" in the native Utian language.

The Utian (Penutian) languages spoken by these groups.


Kansa

From a Siouan ethnonym; related to Kansas and Arkansas, see the latter for more information.

A Native American people who used to inhabit parts of Kansas.


Keisha

A female given name originating as a coinage, of African American usage, possibly a variant of Kezia.


Kaw

In the winter of 1866 the Cheyennes stole forty-two horses from a Kaw hunting party on the upper Arkansas, and following a murder of a Kaw herder at a buffalo camp near Fort Zarah a year later, the Kaws attacked a Cheyenne encampment[.]

2004, R. David Edmunds, The New Warriors: Native American Leaders Since 1900, →ISBN, page 20:

A member of a particular Native American tribe in Oklahoma and parts of Kansas.


Lars

Borrowed from North Germanic, from Latin Laurentius.

Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who stirred worldwide controversy in 2007 with drawings depicting the prophet Mohammed with the body of a dog, was killed in a car crash near the southern town of Markaryd on Sunday, police said.

2021 October 4, Reuters, “Lars Vilks, Swedish cartoonist who depicted Mohammed, killed in car crash”, in CNN:

A male given name from Latin occasionally given to Anglophones.


Monty

A diminutive of the male given names Montgomery and Montague.


Siddhartha

From Sanskrit सिद्धार्थ (siddhārtha, “one who has accomplished an aim or object, successful, prosperous”), from सिद्ध (siddha, “achievement”) + अर्थ (artha, “meaning, purpose”).

A male given name from Sanskrit used by followers of various faiths of India; notably, the personal name of Buddha.


Gautama

A male given name from Sanskrit used in India; more often romanised as Gautam.


Stanislav

From Bulgarian and Russian Станислав (Stanislav) or Ukrainian Станіслав (Stanislav).

bor

Станисла́в Станислав#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian male given name Станисла́в (Stanisláv), equivalent to Stanislaus.

Станісла́в Станіслав#Ukrainian

A transliteration of the Ukrainian male given name Станісла́в (Stanisláv), equivalent to Stanislaus.

Станислав Станислав#Bulgarian

A transliteration of the Bulgarian male given name Станислав (Stanislav), equivalent to Stanislaus.


Philly

First syllable of Philadelphia or Philippa + -y.

A diminutive of the female given name Philippa.


Bethany

Bethany (disambiguation)
Bethany#Bethany
en:Bethany

From Ancient Greek Βηθανία (Bēthanía), from Aramaic בית עניא (beth anya, “house of wretchedness”). This etymology is highly disputed; see Bethany.

der

A female given name from Aramaic, transferred use of the biblical place name.


Guugu Yimidhirr

Gogo-Yimidjir (alternative)
Gugu Yimidhirr (alternative)
Gugu Yimithirr (alternative)
Guguyimidjir (alternative)
Guugu-Yimidhirr (alternative)
Koko Yimidir (alternative)
Koko-Yimidir (alternative)
Koko-Yimidhirr (alternative)
Kuku Yimidhirr (alternative)

/ˌɡuɡu ˈjɪmədʒɪə/

The Pama-Maric Australian Aboriginal suffixing language spoken by those people.


Sundanese

Sunda may originate from Sanskrit, in which case it may mean either “light” or “water”.

The abugida used to write the Sundanese language.


Micah

From Hebrew מִיכָה (mīḵāh), shortened form of מִיכַיְהוּ (mīḵāyᵊhū, “who is like Yahweh”).

Miga

Biblical character: minor prophet and author

"We will call the boy Micah," he announced at last.
"I had thought of some sweeter name, perhaps David," she suggested.
"We will call him Micah," Abner replied.

1959, James Michener, Hawaii, Corgi Books, published 1981, →ISBN, page 308:

A unisex given name originating from the Bible [in turn from Hebrew].

A male given name from Hebrew of Biblical origin. Used since the 17th century.

A female given name from Hebrew, of modern American usage.


Minoan

Sir Arthur Evans, not knowing the Minoan term for “Minoan” at the time, coined this name in the early 20th century, from Ancient Greek Μίνως (Mínōs), the mythical king of Crete. The actual name is probably reflected in Egyptian kftjw (perhaps reconstructible as *Káftayu) and Biblical Hebrew כַּפְתּוֹר (Kaftor, “Caphthor”).

cog

Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age (about 3000-1050 B.C.E.).

مِينُوسِيّ

Of or relating to the writing systems (Linear A and Linear B) used in Crete and later in mainland Greece.

Of or relating to the ancient language of the Minoans which died out by the beginning of the 1st millennium B.C.E.


Minoan

A person who belonged to the Minoan civilization.


Tracey

Emily. Em-il-y, three syllables, like a knock on the door of destiny. Such an odd, old-fashioned name, compared to those Kylies and Traceys and Jades — names that reeked of Impulse and grease and stood out in gaudy neon colours —

2010, Joanne Harris, blueeyedboy, Doubleday, →ISBN, page 102:

A female given name transferred from the surname, of popular British usage, variant of Tracy.


Palmer

en-proper noun

Palmer (countable and uncountable, plural Palmers)

From Middle English palmer (“a pilgrim from the Holy Land”), from Old French.


adjudicate

en-verb

adjudicate (third-person singular simple present adjudicates, present participle adjudicating, simple past and past participle adjudicated)

adjudicates (present singular third-person)
adjudicating (participle present)
adjudicated (participle past)
adjudicated (past)

/əˈd͡ʒʉː.dɪ.kæɪt/

Borrowed from Latin adiūdicō, adiūdicātus, from ad + iūdicō (“to judge”). Doublet of adjudge.

bor+

(Scots law, transitive, as of a debtor's estate) to seize or convey as security.


Braxton

en-proper noun

Braxton (countable and uncountable, plural Braxtons)

Perhaps a habitational surname from the village of Branxton, in Northumberland.

(countable) A male given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage.


Apollonian

/æpəˈləʊnɪ.ən/

From Latin Apollō (Apollōn-) + -ian and Apollonius/Apollonia + -an.

2008, C. G. Stevenson, The Apollonian Appearance: The Being from the Planet Apollo, →ISBN:

At first, when the Apollonians converged on her, Mary Theresa thought she had made a major mistake by going to the battle.

2013, Jim Henry, Universal Life Force Series Featuring Antiquity Calais Vol. 1-3, →ISBN:

The last person who tried this kind of appeal was actually the new vessel -- an Apollonian, one I knew briefly.

2013, James Bartholomeusz, The Grey Star, →ISBN, page 17:

(science fiction) A native of the planet Apollo.


Holmes

(rare) A male given name transferred from the surname.


Maxwell

From an earlier form Mackeswell, meaning "Mack's well or spring", from Old English welle (“well”).

A video filmed and shared on the social media site Bluesky by Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost, also a Democrat, shows Hairfield outside the building and several officers from the federal Department of Homeland Security behind the doors, labeled “All Access Entrance.”

2025 February 7, Alex Baumhardt, “Oregon Rep. Bonamici among electeds inexplicably locked out of U.S. Education Department”, in Oregon Capital Chronicle:


Indic

Via Latin indicus from Ancient Greek ἰνδικός (indikós), from Ἰνδία (Indía). Doublet of indigo.

1986, Margie J. Cunningham O'Bryan, The History and Development of the Verbal System of Early Middle Indic:

Second, it is the only group that directly attests to a period of common development between two branches of the Indo-European family, namely, Indic and Iranian.

1983, Philip Baldi, An Introduction to the Indo-European Languages, SIU Press, →ISBN, page 51:

Similar transfers in Indic are fewer in number owing to the early loss of the aor.: for example, the pres. cayate 'notices' (aoristic root ci-, PIE *kʷey) is in origin the subj. of root aorist ácet, and displaces the earlier redup. Pres cikéṣi (AV), imperf. áciket (RV).

2008 November 13, Andrew L Sihler, New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford University Press, →ISBN:

(linguistics) A branch of the Indo-European family of languages comprising Sanskrit and its modern descendants such as Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi.


Indic

en-adj

Indic (comparative more Indic, superlative most Indic)

more Indic (comparative)
most Indic (superlative)

Relating to or denoting the group of Indo-European languages comprising Sanskrit and the modern Indian languages which are its descendants.

Clearly, men like ʿAin al-Mulk and Aravit Rama Raja could not have migrated successfully between the predominantly Islamicate world of Bijapur and Golconda and the more Indic world of Vijayanagara had they not been proficient in Telugu or Kannada as well as in Dakhni or Persian.

2003, Sushil Mittal, Surprising Bedfellows: Hindus and Muslims in Medieval and Early Modern India, Lexington Books, →ISBN, page 38:

Quite different in style from the red stone torso, it also shows links to later Indic art (Fig. 2.5). Found at Mohenjo-Daro in one of the later strata, this small image is probably of a date late in the history of the site.

2014 January 1, Susan L. Huntington, John C. Huntington, The Art of Ancient India: Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Motilal Banarsidass, →ISBN, page 16:

Indic philosophy, on the other hand, divides people into three groups, as it has two separate definitions for Dharma and religion.

2022 February 19, Deepak Jena, Decoding India, FanatiXx Publication, page 138:

Pertaining to India or its people, culture and languages; Indian.


Carina

Name of a fourth century martyr, feminine of Latin carinus, derivative of carus "beloved"; also a latinization of Karina and Karin (= Catherine) in northern Europe.

A female given name from Latin occasionally used in English.


Edwardian

Edwardian (comparative more Edwardian, superlative most Edwardian)

more Edwardian (comparative)
most Edwardian (superlative)

If the kind of network we envisage is to be established, it would be unwise to begin any of its services hurriedly with older stock, which, however admirable in its day, now has an air of faded Edwardian splendour that is out of joint with the times.

1962 December, “A new Pullman era?”, in Modern Railways, page 362:

In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. […] The public realm is privatised, the regulations restraining the ultra–wealthy and the companies they control are abandoned, and Edwardian levels of inequality are almost fetishised.

2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 23, page 19:

This delightful four-platform station [Bognor Regis] is still controlled by semaphore signals and boasts a lovely red-brick Edwardian building with steel canopies, crowned with a clocktower which dates from 1902.

2022 November 16, Paul Bigland, “From rural branches to high-speed arteries”, in RAIL, number 970, page 55:

Of the period in British history from circa 1901 to 1910, when Edward VII ruled the British Empire.


British Empire

Violence and racism were the reality of the colonial experience and no wonder that the sun never set on the British Empire because even God couldn't trust the English in the dark.

2015, Shashi Tharoor, "Britain Does Owe Reparations", 00:05:16

Two hundred and forty years have passed since the 1781 Yorktown Campaign, a campaign that was a decisive victory for the Continental Army and forced the British Empire to reach concessions with the 13 Colonies.

2021-2022 Winter, Matthew R. Prescott, John P. Ruedisueli, “The Relevance of the 1781 Yorktown Campaign”, in SAR Magazine, volume 116, number 3, Louisville, KY: Sons of the American Revolution, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 20, column 1:

In 1920, the British Empire covered over a quarter of the Earth's surface area.

(chiefly historical) The United Kingdom and its overseas dependencies and colonies.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office


matronymic

/ˌmætɹəˈnɪmɪk/

From Latin māter (“mother”) + -onym + -ic.

Of, relating to, or derived from the given name of one's mother.

By extension; of, relating to, or derived from the given name of a female ancestor.


matronymic

/ˌmætɹəˈnɪmɪk/

A surname or byname acquired from the given name of one's mother.

By extension, a surname or byname acquired from the given name from a female ancestor.


Lunarian

From the stem of Latin lunaris (“of the moon, lunar”) + -ian.

(science fiction) An inhabitant of Earth's Moon (Luna): either an indigenous one or a human one.


okina

From Hawaiian ʻokina (“cutting off, separation”).

bor

The Hawaiian apostrophe-like letter (ʻ ) used to indicate the glottal stop consonant.

ʻokina

Polynesian apostrophe-like letter used to indicate the glottal stop consonant


Mercurian

(science fiction) An inhabitant of the planet Mercury.


Plutonian

en-adj

Plutonian (comparative more Plutonian, superlative most Plutonian)

more Plutonian (comparative)
most Plutonian (superlative)
plutonian (alternative)

The adjective is derived from Latin Plūtōnius (“of or relating to Pluto, Greek and Roman god of the underworld”) + -an (suffix forming adjectives). Plūtōnius is from Ancient Greek Πλουτώνιος (Ploutṓnios, “of or relating to Pluto”), from Πλούτων (Ploútōn, “Pluto”) (from πλοῦτος (ploûtos, “riches, wealth”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *plew- (“to fly; to flow; to run”)) + -ων (-ōn)) + -ιος (-ios, suffix forming adjectives). The English word is cognate with Middle French plutonien (modern French plutonien). The noun is derived from the adjective.

plutonien

of, pertaining to, or supporting plutonism — see also Plutonic

[…] he through the midſt unmarkt, / In ſhew Plebeian Angel militant / Of loweſt order, paſt; and from the dore / Of that Plutonian Hall, inviſible / Aſcended his high Throne, […]

1674, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], 2nd edition, London: […] S[amuel] Simmons […], →OCLC, page 264:

["]Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore— / Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!" / Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

1845 February, — Quarles [pseudonym; Edgar Allan Poe], “The Raven”, in The American Review, volume I, number II, New York, N.Y., London: Wiley & Putnam, […], →OCLC, page 144:

You rise by candle-light or gaslight, swearing / There never was a climate made like ours; / If rashly you go out to take an airing, / The soot-flakes come in black Plutonian show'rs.

1882 December 30, “A London Fog”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume 83, London: Published at the office, 85, Fleet Street, →OCLC, page 301, column 1:

Cotopaxi is striking not only because it looks like a science fiction conception of another planet; it also is the least realistic among [Frederic Edwin] Church's paintings of the area. […] Below the fiery sun is a lake with a barren shore. As such, the sun hangs over a Plutonian landscape.

2008, Rodrigo Lazo, “The Ends of Enchantment: Douglass, Melville, and U.S. Expansionism in the Americas”, in Robert S[teven] Levine, Samuel Otter, editors, Frederick Douglass & Herman Melville: Essays in Relation, Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, →ISBN, part I (Literary and Cultural Geographies), page 210:

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) Of or relating to Pluto, the Greek and Roman god of the underworld; demonic, infernal.

Plutoniin liittyvä

of or relating to Pluto, the Greek and Roman god of the underworld


Plutonian

From Pluto (“dwarf planet in the Solar System”) + -n- + -ian (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘from, related to, or like’, or nouns meaning ‘one belonging to, relating to, or like’), probably influenced by Plutonian (“of or relating to Pluto, Greek and Roman god of the underworld”) (see etymology 1).

affix

Another and perhaps more Plutonian view of this would be that David's bondage to his mother and the codes of behaviour which she set for him had extended throughout his life, in both profes[s]ional and personal spheres; and that bondage now had an opportunity of loosening, with all the attendant consequences.

1985, Liz Greene, “Fate and Synchronicity”, in The Astrology of Fate, Boston, Mass.: Weiser Books, Red Wheel/Weiser, →ISBN, page 293:

The notion of toxicity is a useful one in our effort to understand the further implications of Pluto in the USA chart. [...] Factor in what we have learned about the second house and we get another meaning of waste, related but distinctly more Plutonian: debris that poses an elimination problem once its value has been used up.

2006 October 6, Jessica Murray, “Power Madness: Pluto and American Hegemony”, in Soul-sick Nation: An Astrologer’s View of America, Bloomington, Ind., Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire: AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 41:

(astrology) Pertaining to the astrological influence of Pluto, formerly regarded as a planet.

Plutoon liittyvä

pertaining to the astrological influence of Pluto, formerly regarded as a planet


Plutonian

If you are a Plutonian and some of these traits emphatically do not fit you, just let them go and take what is helpful and descriptive of you personally. What will be given is a composite picture, based on working with a great many Plutonians over the years. Plutonians who are negatively inclined are often very guarded and rigid, afraid to let others get close. [...] There are Plutonians who operate predominantly on the positive level—healing, transforming, transmuting themselves and those around them.

1986, Donna Cunningham, “The Personality and Character of the Plutonian”, in Healing Pluto Problems, Boston, Mass.: Weiser Books, Red Wheel/Weiser, →ISBN, page 28:

(astrology) A person under the astrological influence of Pluto, formerly regarded as a planet.

The Plutonians, who are almost extinct, once held a superscience that they have largely lost. Early Plutonian visits to Earth survived in folk memory as the devil, since Plutonians are gigantic, with horns, hooves, and tail.

1998, Everett F[ranklin] Bleiler, Richard Bleiler, “[Story Descriptions.] 1423. THE EARTHMAN’S BURDEN. Astounding Stories, June 1931, Ill. Paul.”, in Science-Fiction: The Gernsback Years: A Complete Coverage of the Genre Magazines Amazing, Astounding, Wonder, and Others from 1926 through 1936, Kent, Oh., London: Kent State University Press, →ISBN, page 409, column 1:

(chiefly science fiction) An inhabitant of the dwarf planet Pluto.


Solarian

en-adj

Solarian (comparative more Solarian, superlative most Solarian)

more Solarian (comparative)
most Solarian (superlative)

(chiefly science fiction) Of or relating to the Sun.

He grinned at the profanity that came out of the communicator-speaker. Then—back at the irreverently nicknamed Galloping Cow which was the base ship of the Extra-Solarian Research Institute expedition to this star-cluster—McRae cut off.

1947 April, Murray Leinster, “Skit-Tree Planet”, in Thrilling Wonder Stories, volume 30, number 1, page 42:

(chiefly science fiction) Of or relating to the Solar System.

The Solarian one-man ships were even smaller than the Nigrian one-man ships, and some of these did a tremendous amount of damage.

1930 Fall, John Wood Campbell, “The Black Star Passes”, in Amazing Stories Quarterly, volume 3, number 4, page 521:

(chiefly science fiction) Of or relating to the inhabitants of the Solar system.


Solarian

It will be proved that a Solarian, supposing him to have a stature equal to our own, would do as much work as seven of our cultivators; and yet the Solarians are the happiest of beings; their lot is the highest degree of happiness to which we can aspire until the epoch when there shall exist stars of a more exalted rank, that are not yet to be found in our young universe.

1851, Charles Fourier, The Passions of the Human Soul, page 225:

"There has been another dive since our meeting, Jacob, and on that dive, we are told, only the first and more prosaic species of Solarian was observed. Not the second variety which has caused Dr. Kepler so much concern." Jacob was still confused by the hurried explanations Kepler had given of the two types of Sun-creatures so far observed.

(science fiction) An inhabitant of the Sun.

The small ships of the Nigrians were beginning to take a terrific toll in the thin ranks of the Solarians. The coming of the Rocket Squad had been welcomed indeed!

Is it true that all Terrans, and other Solarians are frightfully rich, and go simply everywhere, and do as they please, and that almost nobody works?

1956 August, Charles Stearns, “The Golden Ones”, in Science Fiction Quarterly, volume 4, number 4, page 30:

(chiefly science fiction) An inhabitant of any part of the solar system of the Sun.


earthling

VVe (of all earthlings) are Gods vtmoſt ſubiects, the laſt (in a manner) that he bought to his obedience: ſhal we then forgette that vvee are any ſubiects of hys, becauſe (as amongſt his Angels) he is not viſibly conuerſant amongſt vs?

1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 60, verso:

Alternative letter-case form of Earthling


Greg

An English and Scottish male given name, diminutive of Gregory or Gregor (and sometimes derived from the surname Greig)


Cameron

en-proper noun

Cameron (countable and uncountable, plural Camerons)

Camerons (plural)
Kameron (alternative)
Camron (alternative)
Camryn (alternative)
Kamryn (alternative)

From Scottish Gaelic Camshròn, from cam (“crooked, bent”) + sròn (“nose”). Compare Campbell, from Scottish Gaelic cam (“crooked”) + beul (“mouth”).

A male given name transferred from the surname.

A female given name transferred from the surname, of 1970s and later usage.


Reggie

A diminutive of the male given name Reginald.

A diminutive of the female given name Regina.


Laurence

Laurences (plural)
Lawrence (alternative)

From the name of a third century Roman martyr, Latin Laurentius, "a person from Laurentum", the place name possibly derived from laurus (“laurel”) .

Romeo: Bid her devise / Some means to come to shrift this afternoon; / And there she shall at Friar Laurence' cell / Be shriv'd and married.

c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:

"I will do any thing, however impossible, if you will only not call me Mr Hervey. Why am I not Laurence to you - Miss Vivian calls me Laurence - I am Laurence to every one but you - let me hear you call me Laurence," in an earnest manner.

1835, Mary Shelley, Lodore, Wallis&Newell, published 1835, page 30:

A male given name from Latin, feminine equivalent Lauren.


Donnie

A male given name; diminutive of Don, Donald, Donovan, Adonis


Aimée

Aimées (plural)
Aimee (alternative)
Amy (alternative)
Amey (alternative)
Amie (alternative)
Amee (alternative)

Unadapted borrowing from French Aimée (“beloved”).


Musa

Transliteration of Arabic مُوسَى (mūsā), Persian موسی (Musâ), and Turkish Musa; ultimately from Biblical Hebrew. Doublet of Moses.

A male given name from Arabic, equivalent to English Moses.


Jeremiah

/ˌd͡ʒɛɹəˈmaɪə/

From Latin Jeremias, from Ancient Greek Ἰερεμίας (Ieremías), from Hebrew יִרְמְיָה (yirm'yá, “Jeremiah”, literally “Yahweh exalt”).

der

The man whom you call Diarmaid when you speak Irish, a low, pernicious, un-Irish, detestable custom, begot by slavery, and propagated by cringing, and fostered by flunkeyism, forces you to call Jeremiah when you speak English, or as a concession, Darby.

2000, David Pierce, Irish Writing in the Twentieth Century: A Reader, . Cork University Press., →ISBN, page 8:

A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.


Ezekiel

From Koine Greek Ἰεζεκιήλ (Iezekiḗl), from Biblical Hebrew יְחֶזְקֵאל (Y'ḥezqēl, “God strengthens”).

A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin. First used by 17th century Puritans; rare today.


Amos

From Biblical Hebrew עמוס (Amos, “to carry; a burden”).


Obadiah

/ˌoʊbəˈdaɪə/

From Hebrew עובדיה (Ovadya, “servant of Yahweh”); comparable to Arabic عبد اللّٰه (ʕabd-allah, “servant of God”).

A male given name from Hebrew, of biblical origin.


Jonah

From the Hebrew יוֹנָה (yonáh, “dove”). Doublet of Jonas.

'It's Jonah,' Ted says.
Simmy considers this. 'As in the whale?'
'Yep.'
'You know,' Simmy says, 'that people are going to say that to him for ever more?'
'What? The whale thing?'
'Yes.'
Ted shrugs again. 'Well. He'll get used to it. All names have got some associations. Anyway, he looks like a Jonah. And I like the name Jonah—'
'Obviously,' Simmy cuts in, 'since you chose it.'

2010, Maggie O'Farrell, The Hand That First Held Mine, Headline, →ISBN, page 165:


Nahum

Derived from Hebrew נַחוּם (nakhúm, “consolation”).

der+

Nahum Tate's grandfather and father were both clergymen.

1853, Wiltshire Stanton Austin, John Ralph, The Lives of the Poets-Laureate, page 197:

(rare) A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.


Habakkuk

Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew חֲבַקּוּק (ḥăḇaqqūq). The name perhaps comes from חָבַק (ḥāḇaq, “embrace”), or perhaps from Akkadian 𒄩𒄠𒁀𒄣𒄣 (ḫambaqūqu [ḫa-am-ba-qu-qu], “garden herb”).

der

Hab. (alternative)
Habacuc (alternative)

It would be Bowditch's last voyage. He had been lucky: a younger brother William died on a voyage to Trinidad in 1799, and an older brother Habakkuk drowned in Boston Harbor in 1800.

2009, Jeff Suzuki, Mathematics in Historical Context, page 315:


Zechariah

Book of Zechariah
Zechariah (Hebrew prophet)
Zechariah (priest)
Zechariah of Israel

/ˌzɛkəˈɹaɪə/

From Hebrew זְכַרְיָה (zəḵaryā, “the Lord has remembered”).

Zachariah (alternative)
Zacharias (alternative)
Zecharia (alternative)
Zakariah (alternative)


Bostonian

Bostonians eagerly await the arrival of spring after a long, cold, snowy winter.

Single-sex clusters of Bostonians made their boisterous way through the streets, hoping to collide with their opposite numbers.

2005, Zadie Smith, On Beauty, Penguin Books (2006), page 61:

A person who was born in or who lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

A person who was born in or who lives in Boston, Lincolnshire.


Bostonian

Bostonian fashions are reserved, even dull, when compared to California style.

Related to, characteristic of, or residing in Boston, Massachusetts.

Related to, characteristic of, or residing in Boston, Lincolnshire.


Jeanne

From French Jeanne, from Middle French Jehanne, from Medieval Latin Johanna, variant of Latin Ioanna under influence from Latin Iōhannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.


Dina

Equivalent of the biblical name Dinah in several European languages, ultimately from Hebrew דִּינָה.

der

Hebrew דִּינָה


Dina

Borrowed clipping of longer names in many languages, such as Italian Dina.


Emma

Brought to England by the Normans; short form of compound given names beginning with a Frankish prototheme Ermin- or Irmin- "entire", from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz.

Both Saxon and Norman chroniclers unite in representing the youthful Queen Emma as in a peculiar degree gifted with elegance and beauty; so that many flattering epithets had been bestowed on her - as "the Pearl," "the Flower," or "the Fair Maid" of Normandy.

1854, Matthew Hall, The Queens Before the Conquest, pages 259–260:

Emma Calvé...since Madame Bovary the name Emma suggests a solid bourgeois foundation, a country family...Emma Eames, a chilly name...a wind from the East.

1917, Carl Van Vechten, Interpreters and Interpretations., A.A.Knopf, page 92:

The cottage now belonged to Emma's mother Beatrix, who was a tutor in English literature at a women's college, specialising in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century novel. This may have accounted for Emma's Christian name, for it had seemed to Beatrix unfair to call her daughter Emily, a name associated with her grandmother's servants rather than the author of The Wuthering Heights, so Emma had been chosen, perhaps with the hope that some of the qualities possessed by the heroine of the novel might be perpetuated.

1980, Barbara Pym, A Few Green Leaves, →ISBN, page 8:

A female given name from the Germanic languages.


Muhamed

A male given name from Arabic: alternative spelling of Muhammad


Mehmed

From Ottoman Turkish محمد (Mehmed, Mehmet), from Arabic مُحَمَّد (muḥammad). Doublet of Muhammad.

A male given name from Turkish, variant of Muhammad.


Dinah

From Hebrew דִּינָה (dīna, "judged, vindicated"); see דין.

Every child in the Square at once hurried and thrust and scrambled and pushed a way through the crowd, and in less than a minute Dinah and Dorinda were entirely surrounded by fifty or sixty boys and girls, all shouting […]

1944, Eric Linklater, The Wind on the Moon:

A female given name from Hebrew of biblical origin. Alternative form of Dina.


Zalika

Uncertain. Suggestions include a Swahili Muslim name meaning "ahead, brilliant", or an Egyptian Arabic name meaning 'well-born' or 'born into power'.


Krystina

A female given name from Ancient Greek. A rare modern spelling of Christina.


repeater

(ufology) A person who regularly sees unexplained sightings of paranormal phenomena.

avvistatore

a person who regularly sees unexplained sightings of paranormal phenomena


soft c

In English, the "c" sound in "cent", "central" and "circuit" as distinct from the hard c in "cat" and "cabin".

In Italian, the "c" sound in "certo" as distinct from the "c" sound in "caffè".

(phonology) In many languages, a letter "c" which is not pronounced as a velar stop (/k/, like English "k") but as a sibilant (/s/, like English "s") or an affricative (/tʃ/, like English "ch").


hard c

(phonetics) The "c" sound pronounced /k/, as in "cat" and "cabin", as distinct from the soft c, pronounced /s/, in "cent", "center" and "circuit".


Brandon

From Middle English Brandon, Brampdon, Bramdun, Bremedon, Bromdun, from Old English brōmdūn, from brōm (“broom shrub”) + dūn (“hill, dune”). Doublet of English Branton.

A male given name transferred from the surname, of 1980s and 1990s American and Canadian usage.

A number of places in the United States:

A charter township in Oakland County, Michigan.

An unincorporated community in Ashe County, North Carolina.

Minnehaha County
Minnehaha County#English

A city and township in Minnehaha County, South Dakota.


Brandon

From Irish Mac Breandáin (“son of Breandán”). Doublet of Brendan.

A male given name transferred from the surname, of 1980s and 1990s American usage, variant of Brendan.


Wendy

Popularized by the character in J.M. Barrie's play, Peter Pan (1904) (though occasionally found earlier); the author explained that he got it from Fwendy-Wendy ("friend"), a nickname given to him by a child.
Alternatively, from a diminutive of the Welsh Gwendolen; or from Wendelin, a diminutive of Wendel.
A habitational forename meaning, "island at the river bend", from Old English wende (“watercourse with a bend”) + ēġ (“island”).

inh

"What's your name?" he asked.
"Wendy Moira Angela Darling," she replied with some satisfaction. "What is your name?"
"Peter Pan."

1911, J. M. Barrie, chapter III, in Peter Pan, Wordsworth Editions Ltd, published 1993:

A female given name originating as a coinage.


Dora

A diminutive of Dorothy used since early 19th century. Sometimes also short for Theodora or Isidora.

"I think," said Robert, after waiting in vain for his cousin to speak, "that I shall call you Dorothy. It is a much prettier name than Dora."
"No, thank you," said Dorothy, quickly; "Dora is good enough for the common purposes of life."

1856, Margaret Agnes Paull, Dorothy: A Tale, B. Tauchnitz, published 1857, page 63:


Kathleen

Cathleen (alternative)
Kathlyn (alternative)

Anglicization of Caitlín, an Irish equivalent of the English Catherine.

Kathleen mavourneen! the gray dawn is breaking,
The horn of the hunter is heard on the hill,
The lark from her light wing the bright dew is shaking,
Kathleen mavourneen, what slumbering still?

1837, Marion Crawford - Frederick Nicholls Crouch, Kathleen Mavourneen (a song)


Katharine

A variant spelling of Catherine, based on the folk etymology that it would derive from Greek καθαρός (katharos "pure").

Petruchio.Good morrow, Kate; for that's your name, I hear.
Katharina.Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing:
They call me Katharine that do talk of me.


Cathy

Cathys (plural)
Cathies (plural)
Cathi (alternative)
Cathie (alternative)
Kathi (alternative)
Kathie (alternative)
Kathy (alternative)

It was named Catherine, but he never called it the name in full, as he had never called the first Catherine short, probably because Heathcliff had a habit of doing so. The little one was always Cathy, it formed to him a distinction from the mother, and yet, a connection with her; ( - - - )

1847 December, Ellis Bell [pseudonym; Emily Brontë], Wuthering Heights: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Thomas Cautley Newby, […], →OCLC:

'Cathy sounds like the name of a truck-stop waitress,' she overheard her father-in-law tell Adam after they returned from their honeymoon. 'Tell her to call herself Cat and, for Christ's sake, get her to stop biting her lip all the time.'

2007, Kate Jacobs, The Friday Night Knitting Club, Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, page 124:

A diminutive of the female given name Catherine and of its variant forms, also used as a formal given name in the 20th century.


Alexa

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Alexa.wav

* Alex + -a. A feminine form of Alex.
* Short for Alexandra.

Coordinate term: Siri

(computing) A speech recognition and intelligent personal assistant application developed by Amazon Inc.

Pass the chalk. Dr. Levine was there with a friend and fellow psychiatrist (detect a pattern?), Alexa Albert, Coco’s mother, who squinted up into the sun as her daughter effortlessly sailed skyward. Dr. Albert is an acrophobe.

2009 July 19, Lizette Alvarez, “Whee! Also, There’s a Net”, in The New York Times:


soft g

(phonology) The "g" sound pronounced /dʒ/ as in "gem", "giraffe" and "generation" (or sometimes or /ʒ/ as in "genre"), as distinct from the hard g of "get" and "give".


hard g

hard gs (plural)
hard-g (alternative)
hard G (alternative)
hard-G (alternative)

Hard g at last found his cap and again became Hard G, after which the fight was renewed.

1882, H.M. Dickson, The Elocutionist..., p. 41

(phonetics) The plosive /g/ sound in "get", "log" and "give" as distinct from the soft g in "gem", "giraffe", "lodge" and "generation".


Elliott

en-proper noun

Elliott (countable and uncountable, plural Elliotts)

Elliotts (plural)
Eliot (alternative)
Elliot (alternative)
Eliott (alternative)

French: Éliot, Éliott, Élliot, Élliott

Swedish: Elliot

English surname derived from a Middle English diminutive of Elie, Old French form of Elias or Elijah, meaning "my God is Yahweh". As a Scottish surname it may also represent Gaelic Elloch from a word meaning a dam or bank.

(countable) A male given name.
A male given name from Hebrew.

A male given name transferred from the surname (today representing transferred use of the surname)


Hiberno-English

/hɪˈbɜːnəʊ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

/haɪˈbɜːnəʊ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

/haɪˈbɝnoʊ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

The set of English dialects native to the island of Ireland, including both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.


Stefanie

But for Stefanie Brechbuehler and Robert Highsmith, the husband-and-wife co-founders of the Brooklyn-based design firm Workstead, the recent revamp of an 1850s residence in upstate New York not only presented them with a thrilling challenge, it also marked a celebratory homecoming after a few years spent living in the South.

2019 June 10, Mimi Vu, “How a 19th-Century Workman’s Cottage Became a Family Home”, in The New York Times Style Magazine:

A female given name from French, a less common spelling of Stephanie, from the French Stéphanie, feminine form of Stephen.


Forro

São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe

A creole language spoken in São Tomé and Príncipe.


Aidan

Name of an Irish saint, Anglicized from Irish Aodhán and Scottish Gaelic Aodhan, diminutives of Aodh (literally "fire", the name of a Celtic sun god).

Aden (alternative)
Aiden (alternative)
Ayden (alternative)
Aydan (alternative)

(rare) A female given name from Irish of modern usage.


King Billy

(Ireland, Scotland, informal) King William III of England.


Clifton

Clifton (countable and uncountable, plural Cliftons)

Cliftons (plural)
Cliffton (alternative)

*Literally meaning "town by a cliff." From Old English clif (“cliff”) + tūn (“town”). Analyzable as cliff + -ton.
*In Oregon County, Missouri, from Cliff + -ton. From being named after a Cliff, or which may be clipped to Clif.

(countable) A male given name transferred from the surname.


Goth

en-noun

Goth (countable and uncountable, plural Goths)

From Middle English Gothes, Gotes (both plural). In turn partly from Old English Gotan, singular Gota, and partly from Late Latin Gothi. Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *gutô, perhaps from *geutaną (“to pour”). Compare Old Norse Goti (“Gotlander, Goth”), and related also to Gutnish, Gotland.

A member of the East Germanic people known for their invasion of the western Roman Empire and subsequent founding of successor states in Italy and Spain during Late Antiquity.


Bret

A male given name transferred from the surname, variant of Brett, ultimately meaning "a Breton".


Riley

en-prop

Riley (countable and uncountable, plural Rileys)

* From Ryley in Lancashire, from Old English ryge (“rye”) + leah (“clearing, meadow”). Equivalent to rye + -ley (“lea”).
* Variant of Reilly, from Irish Ó Raghallaigh (see O'Reilly).

A male given name transferred from the surname, of 19th century and later usage.

A female given name from surname, of 1990s and later usage.

A town in Riley Township, Vigo County, Indiana, United States


Zola

A female given name created from Zoë or from the surname.


Latin American

Of or relating to Latin America, its people, or its culture.


Tiffany

From Old French Tifinie, Tiphanie, from Latin Theophania (“Epiphany”), from Ancient Greek θεο- (theo-, “god”) (combining form of θεός (theós, “god”)) + φαίνω (phaínō, “I shine, appear”). Doublet of theophany.
The given name (from circa 12th century) was usually given to girls born at Epiphany. The surname (from late 13th century) is a dialectal variant of the surname Tiffin, which derives from the given name variant Tiffania.
In modern times, the given name has been (re)popularized by the surname borne by Charles Lewis Tiffany, founder of jewelry company Tiffany & Co.

"That's her real name, you know. I mean, a lot of girls working the topless joints, they take exotic, sexy names...well, Tiffany Carter, for example...but that was the name Tracy was born with."

1985, Ed McBain, Snow White and Rose Red, page 130:

A female given name transferred from the surname.


kyrie

/ˈkɪəɹ.ɪˌeɪ/

From Ecclesiastical Latin Kyrie, contraction of the Ancient Greek phrase Κύριε ἐλέησον (Kúrie eléēson, “Lord, have mercy”), from Ancient Greek Κύριε (Kúrie), vocative form of Κύριος (Kúrios, “Lord”), from κῦρος (kûros, “supremacy, authority”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱēw-, *ḱewh₁- (“to swell, spread out, be strong, prevail”).

(Christianity) A short prayer or petition including the phrase kyrie eleison, meaning “Lord, have mercy”.


Magnificat

Borrowed from Latin magnificat, the first word of the Latin version of the canticle.

(Christianity, music) The liturgical canticle of the Virgin Mary, sung in Christian churches; taken from her reported words upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth.


Norma

Coined name of an imaginary Celtic priestess in Bellini's opera Norma (1831). Sometimes explained as Latin norma (“pattern, model”), or as a feminine form of Norman.

I wish I could remember that girl's Christian name. Something connected with a song...Thora? Speak to me, Thora, Thora, Thora. Something like that, or Myra? Myra, oh Myra my love is all for thee... Norma? Or do I mean Maritana? Norma - Norma Restarick. That's right, I'm sure.

1966, Agatha Christie, Third Girl, page 6:

A female given name originating as a coinage.


Berber

From Arabic بَرْبَرِيّ (barbariyy, “Berber”), from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “non-Greek, foreign, barbarian”), apparently imitative of foreign speech. Cognate of English barbarian.

der

Berbers are the best example of looped carpet […]

2009, Jean Nayar, Staged to Sell (or Keep) (page 55)

(plural only "Berbers") A kind of traditional rug manufactured by the Berber people.


Berber

A group of closely related Afroasiatic languages spoken in northern Africa, particularly Morocco and Algeria.


Berber

Of the Berber people, their culture, or their language.


Geordie

A diminutive of the male given name George.

A diminutive of the female given names Georgia, Georgiana, Georgette, or Georgina.


letter of relaxation

en-noun

letter of relaxation (plural letters of relaxation)

Do you think that the state of the exchanges is that which ought to guide the discretion of the Government, with reference to the issue of a similar letter of relaxation?

1858, Samuel Jones-Loyd Overstone, Overstone Tracts on Metallic and Paper Currency:

(Scots law) A letter passing the signet, whereby a debtor is relieved from personal diligence, or whereby an outlaw is reponed against sentence of outlawry.


leaver

An extraordinary cross-party summit bringing together leading leavers and remainers – including Michael Gove and senior members of Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet – has been held in high secrecy to address the failings of Brexit and how to remedy them in the national interest, the Observer can reveal.

2023 February 11, Toby Helm, “Revealed: secret cross-party summit held to confront failings of Brexit”, in The Observer, →ISSN:

(UK politics) Alternative letter-case form of Leaver


Northern Sami

Northern Sámi (alternative)
Northern Saami (alternative)
North Sami (alternative)

The most widely spoken Sami language; it is spoken in northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It includes three dialects: Torne, Finnmark and Sea Sami.


Allie

A diminutive of the female given names Alice, Alison, or Alexandra or other names beginning with Al-, from the Germanic languages or Ancient Greek.

A diminutive of the male given names Alfred, Albert, Alan, or Alexander or other names beginning with Al-, from the Germanic languages, the Celtic languages, or Ancient Greek.


Lexi

Lexis (plural)
Lexie (alternative)
Lexy (alternative)

A diminutive of the female given names Alexa, Alexandra, Alexia, or Alexis, from Ancient Greek.


Ellie

"It's funny, because when Ellie was born, I really hoped she'd turn out like this, feisty and rebellious and loud and bright. That's why I called her Eleanor Toyah."
"Is that something classical?" Fiona asked.
"No, it's pop," said Will. Fiona laughed, although Will couldn't see why. "Toyah Wilcox."

1998, Nick Hornby, About A Boy, Victor Gollancz, →ISBN, page 285:


Law

Clipping of Lawrence; From the given name Lawrence.

A male given name diminutive of Lawrence.


Kampuchean

A person of Kampuchean (Cambodian) descent.


Permic

A group of Finno-Ugric languages spoken in the northwest Urals, including Komi and Udmurt.


Twi

She kept her eyes low, and though her Twi was passable, she rarely spoke it.

2016, Yaa Gyasi, Homegoing, Penguin Books (2017), page 35:

A dialect of the Akan language, spoken in Ghana in West Africa.


Bluetooth

From blue + tooth, calque of Old Norse Blátǫnn (modern Danish Blåtand).
* (networking): The networking standard is named after the king because the technology unites computers and mobile devices similarly to the way he united the Danish tribes.

personal area network
personal area network

(networking, trademark) An industrial specification for wireless personal area networks.


Anthea

From Ancient Greek ἄνθη (ánthē, “blossom”).


Tz'utujil

From Spanish, from Tz'utujil, from tz'utuj (“cornfield flower”) + -il (a suffix that indicates abstraction). Literally it means “beautiful cornfield flower”.

Tzutujil (alternative)
Tzutuhil (alternative)
Sutujil (alternative)
Zutugil (alternative)
Zutuhil (alternative)