"Melissa" meaning in English

See Melissa in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proper name

IPA: /məˈlɪsə/ [US] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Melissa.wav [Southern-England]
Rhymes: -ɪsə Etymology: From Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee, honey, or honeybee”). In Ireland it is sometimes used as a feminine form of the Gaelic male name Maol Íosa (literally “servant of Jesus”). Etymology templates: {{der|en|grc|μέλισσα||bee, honey, or honeybee}} Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee, honey, or honeybee”), {{m|ga|Maol Íosa|lit=servant of Jesus}} Maol Íosa (literally “servant of Jesus”) Head templates: {{en-proper noun}} Melissa
  1. (Greek mythology) Bee-nymph in Greek mythology. Tags: Greek Categories (topical): Greek deities
    Sense id: en-Melissa-en-name-SFJm9r6b Topics: human-sciences, mysticism, mythology, philosophy, sciences
  2. A female given name from Ancient Greek. Popular in the latter half of the 20th century. Categories (topical): English female given names, English given names Related terms: Melitta (alt: < μέλιττα (mélitta)) Translations (female given name): Meljisa [feminine] (Albanian), ᎺᎵᏌ (melisa) (Cherokee), 梅麗莎 (Chinese Cantonese), 梅丽莎 (Chinese Cantonese), 梅利莎 (Méilìshā) (Chinese Mandarin), Melissa (Danish), Melissa (Finnish), Mélissa (French), Melissa (German), Μέλισσα (Mélissa) [feminine] (Greek), Maolíosa (Irish), Melissa (Italian), メリッサ (Merissa) (Japanese), 멜리사 (Mellisa) (Korean), ملیسا (melisâ) (Persian), Melissa [feminine] (Portuguese), Мелисса (english: Melissa) [feminine] (Russian), Мелиса [feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), Melisa [feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), Melissa [common-gender] (Swedish), เมลิสสา (Melis̄s̄ā) (Thai), Melisa (Turkish)
    Sense id: en-Melissa-en-name-5wlYojg3 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 28 72 Disambiguation of 'female given name': 2 98

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for Melissa meaning in English (5.8kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "μέλισσα",
        "4": "",
        "5": "bee, honey, or honeybee"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee, honey, or honeybee”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ga",
        "2": "Maol Íosa",
        "lit": "servant of Jesus"
      },
      "expansion": "Maol Íosa (literally “servant of Jesus”)",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee, honey, or honeybee”). In Ireland it is sometimes used as a feminine form of the Gaelic male name Maol Íosa (literally “servant of Jesus”).",
  "head_templates": [
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  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
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      "categories": [
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          "kind": "topical",
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          "name": "Greek deities",
          "orig": "en:Greek deities",
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            "Mythology",
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      "glosses": [
        "Bee-nymph in Greek mythology."
      ],
      "id": "en-Melissa-en-name-SFJm9r6b",
      "links": [
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        "(Greek mythology) Bee-nymph in Greek mythology."
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        "mythology",
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          "source": "w"
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          "_dis": "28 72",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
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            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1959, Nicholas Blake, The Widow's Cruise, page 9",
          "text": "- - - by Mrs. Melissa Blaydon and Miss Ianthe Ambrose.\n\"Well, they may be sisters,\" said Nigel. \"Those elegant, classical Christian names suggest one father.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A female given name from Ancient Greek. Popular in the latter half of the 20th century."
      ],
      "id": "en-Melissa-en-name-5wlYojg3",
      "links": [
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      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "19 81",
          "alt": "< μέλιττα (mélitta)",
          "word": "Melitta"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "sq",
          "lang": "Albanian",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Meljisa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "chr",
          "lang": "Cherokee",
          "roman": "melisa",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "ᎺᎵᏌ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "梅麗莎"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "梅丽莎"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "Méilìshā",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "梅利莎"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Melissa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Melissa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Mélissa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Melissa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "Mélissa",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Μέλισσα"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Maolíosa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Melissa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "Merissa",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "メリッサ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "Mellisa",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "멜리사"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "melisâ",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "ملیسا"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Melissa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "ru",
          "english": "Melissa",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Мелисса"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Мелиса"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Melisa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "Melissa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "roman": "Melis̄s̄ā",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "เมลิสสา"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Melisa"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/məˈlɪsə/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪsə"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Melissa.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/23/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Melissa.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Melissa.wav.mp3",
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      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Melissa"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English terms derived from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪsə",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪsə/2 syllables"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
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        "2": "grc",
        "3": "μέλισσα",
        "4": "",
        "5": "bee, honey, or honeybee"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee, honey, or honeybee”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ga",
        "2": "Maol Íosa",
        "lit": "servant of Jesus"
      },
      "expansion": "Maol Íosa (literally “servant of Jesus”)",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee, honey, or honeybee”). In Ireland it is sometimes used as a feminine form of the Gaelic male name Maol Íosa (literally “servant of Jesus”).",
  "head_templates": [
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      "expansion": "Melissa",
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  "lang_code": "en",
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      "alt": "< μέλιττα (mélitta)",
      "word": "Melitta"
    }
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  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Bee-nymph in Greek mythology."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
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          "Greek"
        ],
        [
          "mythology",
          "mythology"
        ],
        [
          "Bee",
          "bee"
        ],
        [
          "nymph",
          "nymph"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Greek mythology) Bee-nymph in Greek mythology."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Greek"
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      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "mysticism",
        "mythology",
        "philosophy",
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        "English given names",
        "English terms with quotations"
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          "ref": "1959, Nicholas Blake, The Widow's Cruise, page 9",
          "text": "- - - by Mrs. Melissa Blaydon and Miss Ianthe Ambrose.\n\"Well, they may be sisters,\" said Nigel. \"Those elegant, classical Christian names suggest one father.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A female given name from Ancient Greek. Popular in the latter half of the 20th century."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "given name",
          "given name"
        ]
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    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "tags": [
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      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪsə"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Melissa.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/23/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Melissa.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-Melissa.wav.mp3",
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      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "sq",
      "lang": "Albanian",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Meljisa"
    },
    {
      "code": "chr",
      "lang": "Cherokee",
      "roman": "melisa",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "ᎺᎵᏌ"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "梅麗莎"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "梅丽莎"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "Méilìshā",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "梅利莎"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Melissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Melissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Mélissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Melissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "Mélissa",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Μέλισσα"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Maolíosa"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Melissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "Merissa",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "メリッサ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "Mellisa",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "멜리사"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "melisâ",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "ملیسا"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Melissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "Melissa",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Мелисса"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Мелиса"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Melisa"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "Melissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "roman": "Melis̄s̄ā",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "เมลิสสา"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Melisa"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Melissa"
}

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.