"Alex" meaning in English

See Alex in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proper name

IPA: /ˈæ.lɪks/ [Received-Pronunciation, US] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Alex.wav [Southern-England]
Rhymes: -ælɪks Etymology: Short form of Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) 'he who wards off men', i.e. protector, possibly of Hittite origin. Also from Alexius, from the same Ancient Greek first element, "helping, defending". These two origins of Alex are indistinguishable in most languages. The female name has the same root, shortened from Alexandra or the female name Alexis, in some cases also a spelling variant of Alix. Etymology templates: {{m|en|Alexander}} Alexander, {{der|en|grc|Ἀλέξανδρος}} Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), {{m|en|Alexius}} Alexius, {{m|en|Alexandra}} Alexandra, {{m|en|Alexis}} Alexis, {{m|en|Alix}} Alix Head templates: {{en-proper noun}} Alex
  1. A male given name from Ancient Greek. Categories (topical): English given names, English male given names, English unisex given names
    Sense id: en-Alex-en-name-wCWXTMUP Disambiguation of English unisex given names: 48 48 2 2 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 44 44 5 7 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 45 45 4 5
  2. A female given name from Ancient Greek. Categories (topical): English female given names, English given names, English unisex given names
    Sense id: en-Alex-en-name-G1A8salx Disambiguation of English unisex given names: 48 48 2 2 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 44 44 5 7 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 45 45 4 5
  3. A nickname for Alexandria. Categories (place): City nicknames
    Sense id: en-Alex-en-name-t1ZYoG62
  4. A nickname for Alexandria. Categories (place): City nicknames
    Sense id: en-Alex-en-name-VuktqDHo Topics: cities, city, location, region

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for Alex meaning in English (6.1kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Alexander"
      },
      "expansion": "Alexander",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "Ἀλέξανδρος"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Alexius"
      },
      "expansion": "Alexius",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Alexandra"
      },
      "expansion": "Alexandra",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Alexis"
      },
      "expansion": "Alexis",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Alix"
      },
      "expansion": "Alix",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Short form of Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) 'he who wards off men', i.e. protector, possibly of Hittite origin. Also from Alexius, from the same Ancient Greek first element, \"helping, defending\". These two origins of Alex are indistinguishable in most languages. The female name has the same root, shortened from Alexandra or the female name Alexis, in some cases also a spelling variant of Alix.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Alex",
      "name": "en-proper noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
    {
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          "kind": "topical",
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            "Names",
            "All topics",
            "Proper nouns",
            "Terms by semantic function",
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          "source": "w"
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            "Terms by semantic function",
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          "_dis": "44 44 5 7",
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          "_dis": "45 45 4 5",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "48 48 2 2",
          "kind": "topical",
          "name": "English unisex given names",
          "parents": [
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            "Names",
            "All topics",
            "Proper nouns",
            "Terms by semantic function",
            "Fundamental",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2006, Kate Atkinson, One Good Turn, Black Swan, published 2007, page 81",
          "text": "Martin was pretty dull as names went but 'Alex Blake' had a certain dash to it. His publishers hadn't considered Martin's own name to be 'punchy' enough. The pseudonym Alex Blake was chosen after much deliberation, most of which excluded Martin. 'A strong, no-nonsense sort of name', his editor said, 'to compensate'. For what, she didn't say.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A male given name from Ancient Greek."
      ],
      "id": "en-Alex-en-name-wCWXTMUP",
      "links": [
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          "given name"
        ]
      ]
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    {
      "categories": [
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            "Proper nouns",
            "Terms by semantic function",
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          "source": "w"
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          "name": "English given names",
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            "Names",
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            "Proper nouns",
            "Terms by semantic function",
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          "source": "w"
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          "_dis": "44 44 5 7",
          "kind": "other",
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          "_dis": "45 45 4 5",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [
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        },
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          "_dis": "48 48 2 2",
          "kind": "topical",
          "name": "English unisex given names",
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            "Proper nouns",
            "Terms by semantic function",
            "Fundamental",
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          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2008, Philip Hensher, The Northern Clemency, HarperCollins, page 588",
          "text": "'I had a Christmas card from someone calling herself Alex the year before last,' Daniel said. 'I couldn't think who it was.'\n'Oh, yes, she's changed again,' Alice said. 'I never got used to Alexandra, either. It never occurred to me that Sandra was short for Alexandra - anyway, she's Sandra on her birth certificate.'",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A female given name from Ancient Greek."
      ],
      "id": "en-Alex-en-name-G1A8salx",
      "links": [
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          "given name"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "City nicknames",
          "orig": "en:City nicknames",
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            "Nicknames",
            "Polities",
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            "Proper nouns",
            "Terms by semantic function",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nouns",
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          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A nickname for Alexandria.\n (city in Egypt)",
        "A nickname for Alexandria."
      ],
      "id": "en-Alex-en-name-t1ZYoG62",
      "links": [
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          "nickname",
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        [
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          "Alexandria#English"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "A nickname for Alexandria.\n"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
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          "kind": "place",
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      "glosses": [
        "A nickname for Alexandria.\n (city in Egypt)"
      ],
      "id": "en-Alex-en-name-VuktqDHo",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "A nickname for Alexandria.\n"
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "in Egypt"
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "topics": [
        "cities",
        "city",
        "location",
        "region"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈæ.lɪks/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ælɪks"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Alex.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/23/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Alex.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Alex.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/23/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Alex.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Alex.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Alex"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English terms derived from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "English unisex given names",
    "Rhymes:English/ælɪks",
    "Rhymes:English/ælɪks/2 syllables"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
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        "2": "Alexander"
      },
      "expansion": "Alexander",
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
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      "name": "der"
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        "1": "en",
        "2": "Alix"
      },
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  ],
  "etymology_text": "Short form of Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) 'he who wards off men', i.e. protector, possibly of Hittite origin. Also from Alexius, from the same Ancient Greek first element, \"helping, defending\". These two origins of Alex are indistinguishable in most languages. The female name has the same root, shortened from Alexandra or the female name Alexis, in some cases also a spelling variant of Alix.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Alex",
      "name": "en-proper noun"
    }
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  "lang_code": "en",
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        {
          "ref": "2006, Kate Atkinson, One Good Turn, Black Swan, published 2007, page 81",
          "text": "Martin was pretty dull as names went but 'Alex Blake' had a certain dash to it. His publishers hadn't considered Martin's own name to be 'punchy' enough. The pseudonym Alex Blake was chosen after much deliberation, most of which excluded Martin. 'A strong, no-nonsense sort of name', his editor said, 'to compensate'. For what, she didn't say.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A male given name from Ancient Greek."
      ],
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        "English given names",
        "English terms with quotations"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2008, Philip Hensher, The Northern Clemency, HarperCollins, page 588",
          "text": "'I had a Christmas card from someone calling herself Alex the year before last,' Daniel said. 'I couldn't think who it was.'\n'Oh, yes, she's changed again,' Alice said. 'I never got used to Alexandra, either. It never occurred to me that Sandra was short for Alexandra - anyway, she's Sandra on her birth certificate.'",
          "type": "quotation"
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      "glosses": [
        "A female given name from Ancient Greek."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
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          "given name"
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    },
    {
      "categories": [
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        "A nickname for Alexandria.\n (city in Egypt)",
        "A nickname for Alexandria."
      ],
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        [
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "A nickname for Alexandria.\n"
      ]
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      "categories": [
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      "glosses": [
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        "A nickname for Alexandria.\n"
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        "in Egypt"
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      "topics": [
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  "sounds": [
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      "ipa": "/ˈæ.lɪks/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ælɪks"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Alex.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/23/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Alex.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Alex.wav.mp3",
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      "tags": [
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      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
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  "word": "Alex"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-24 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (82c8ff9 and f4967a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.