"Nestor" meaning in English

See Nestor in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proper name

IPA: /ˈnɛstə/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈnɛstɚ/ [General-American]
Etymology: From Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr), possibly from νέομαι (néomai, “to return safely”), νόστος (nóstos, “homecoming”). Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*nes-}}, {{bor|en|grc|Νέστωρ}} Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr) Head templates: {{en-prop}} Nestor
  1. (Greek mythology) An old and wise king in Homer's Iliad. Tags: Greek
    Sense id: en-Nestor-en-name-rFvMULFB Categories (other): Greek mythology Topics: human-sciences, mysticism, mythology, philosophy, sciences
  2. A male given name from Ancient Greek, rare in English. Derived forms: Nestorian Translations (male given name): Νέστωρ (Néstōr) (Ancient Greek), Нестор (english: Nestor) [masculine] (Bulgarian), Nestori (Finnish), Νέστωρ (Néstor) (Greek), 네스토르 (Neseutoreu) (Korean), نسطور (nostur) (Persian), Не́стор (Néstor) [masculine] (Russian), Néstor (Spanish), Не́стор (Néstor) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-Nestor-en-name-a4rWzk5K Categories (other): English given names, English male given names, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 3 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Ancient Greek translations, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Korean translations, Terms with Persian translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Ukrainian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 11 71 5 14 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 12 59 15 14 Disambiguation of Pages with 3 entries: 18 52 23 7 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 17 52 23 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Ancient Greek translations: 3 94 2 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 9 71 7 13 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 8 76 7 9 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 6 87 4 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Korean translations: 13 69 12 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Persian translations: 12 70 11 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 7 77 8 8 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 14 70 8 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Ukrainian translations: 15 65 11 8 Disambiguation of 'male given name': 2 94 4
  3. A surname
    Sense id: en-Nestor-en-name-iong5iVh Categories (other): English surnames

Noun

IPA: /ˈnɛstə/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈnɛstɚ/ [General-American] Forms: Nestors [plural]
Etymology: From Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr), possibly from νέομαι (néomai, “to return safely”), νόστος (nóstos, “homecoming”). Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*nes-}}, {{bor|en|grc|Νέστωρ}} Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr) Head templates: {{en-noun}} Nestor (plural Nestors)
  1. A wise old man, especially one who serves as a counselor or adviser. Related terms: Nestor in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911) (english: legend)
    Sense id: en-Nestor-en-noun-fY5xJSRM

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "Νέστωρ",
      "Νέστωρ#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "νέομαι",
      "νέομαι#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "νόστος",
      "νόστος#Ancient_Greek"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*nes-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "Νέστωρ"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr), possibly from νέομαι (néomai, “to return safely”), νόστος (nóstos, “homecoming”).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Nestor",
      "name": "en-prop"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Greek mythology",
          "orig": "en:Greek mythology",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An old and wise king in Homer's Iliad."
      ],
      "id": "en-Nestor-en-name-rFvMULFB",
      "links": [
        [
          "Greek",
          "Greek"
        ],
        [
          "mythology",
          "mythology"
        ],
        [
          "Homer",
          "Homer"
        ],
        [
          "Iliad",
          "Iliad"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Greek mythology) An old and wise king in Homer's Iliad."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Greek"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "mysticism",
        "mythology",
        "philosophy",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English given names",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English male given names",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 71 5 14",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 59 15 14",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 52 23 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 3 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 52 23 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "3 94 2 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 71 7 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 76 7 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "6 87 4 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 69 12 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Korean translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 70 11 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Persian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "7 77 8 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 70 8 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 65 11 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Ukrainian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "_dis1": "17 69 14",
          "word": "Nestorian"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              183,
              189
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1989, Oscar Hijuelos, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, →ISBN, page 4:",
          "text": "Standing in her entrance, two men in white silk suits and butterfly-looking lace bow ties, black instrument cases by their side and black-brimmed white hats in their hands–my father, Nestor Castillo, thin and broad-shouldered, and Uncle Cesar, thickset and immense.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A male given name from Ancient Greek, rare in English."
      ],
      "id": "en-Nestor-en-name-a4rWzk5K",
      "links": [
        [
          "given name",
          "given name"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "bg",
          "english": "Nestor",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "lang_code": "bg",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "translation": "Nestor",
          "word": "Нестор"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Nestori"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "lang_code": "el",
          "roman": "Néstor",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Νέστωρ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "lang_code": "grc",
          "roman": "Néstōr",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Νέστωρ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "lang_code": "ko",
          "roman": "Neseutoreu",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "네스토르"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "lang_code": "fa",
          "roman": "nostur",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "نسطور"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "Néstor",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Не́стор"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Néstor"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 94 4",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "lang_code": "uk",
          "roman": "Néstor",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Не́стор"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English surnames",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A surname"
      ],
      "id": "en-Nestor-en-name-iong5iVh",
      "links": [
        [
          "surname",
          "surname"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnɛstə/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnɛstɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "Nestor"
}

{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "Νέστωρ",
      "Νέστωρ#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "νέομαι",
      "νέομαι#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "νόστος",
      "νόστος#Ancient_Greek"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*nes-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "Νέστωρ"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr), possibly from νέομαι (néomai, “to return safely”), νόστος (nóstos, “homecoming”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Nestors",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Nestor (plural Nestors)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A wise old man, especially one who serves as a counselor or adviser."
      ],
      "id": "en-Nestor-en-noun-fY5xJSRM",
      "links": [
        [
          "wise",
          "wise"
        ],
        [
          "old",
          "old"
        ],
        [
          "man",
          "man"
        ],
        [
          "counselor",
          "counselor"
        ],
        [
          "adviser",
          "adviser"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "english": "legend",
          "translation": "legend",
          "word": "Nestor in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnɛstə/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnɛstɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "Nestor"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English eponyms",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English terms borrowed from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms derived from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *nes-",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 3 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Korean translations",
    "Terms with Persian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "Nestorian"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "Νέστωρ",
      "Νέστωρ#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "νέομαι",
      "νέομαι#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "νόστος",
      "νόστος#Ancient_Greek"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*nes-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "Νέστωρ"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr), possibly from νέομαι (néomai, “to return safely”), νόστος (nóstos, “homecoming”).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Nestor",
      "name": "en-prop"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Greek mythology"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An old and wise king in Homer's Iliad."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Greek",
          "Greek"
        ],
        [
          "mythology",
          "mythology"
        ],
        [
          "Homer",
          "Homer"
        ],
        [
          "Iliad",
          "Iliad"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Greek mythology) An old and wise king in Homer's Iliad."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Greek"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "mysticism",
        "mythology",
        "philosophy",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English given names",
        "English male given names",
        "English male given names from Ancient Greek",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              183,
              189
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1989, Oscar Hijuelos, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, →ISBN, page 4:",
          "text": "Standing in her entrance, two men in white silk suits and butterfly-looking lace bow ties, black instrument cases by their side and black-brimmed white hats in their hands–my father, Nestor Castillo, thin and broad-shouldered, and Uncle Cesar, thickset and immense.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A male given name from Ancient Greek, rare in English."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "given name",
          "given name"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English surnames"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A surname"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "surname",
          "surname"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnɛstə/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnɛstɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "english": "Nestor",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "lang_code": "bg",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "translation": "Nestor",
      "word": "Нестор"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Nestori"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "lang_code": "el",
      "roman": "Néstor",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Νέστωρ"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "lang_code": "grc",
      "roman": "Néstōr",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Νέστωρ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "lang_code": "ko",
      "roman": "Neseutoreu",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "네스토르"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "lang_code": "fa",
      "roman": "nostur",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "نسطور"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "Néstor",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Не́стор"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Néstor"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "lang_code": "uk",
      "roman": "Néstor",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Не́стор"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Nestor"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English eponyms",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English terms borrowed from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms derived from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *nes-",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 3 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Korean translations",
    "Terms with Persian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "Νέστωρ",
      "Νέστωρ#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "νέομαι",
      "νέομαι#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "νόστος",
      "νόστος#Ancient_Greek"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*nes-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "Νέστωρ"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Ancient Greek Νέστωρ (Néstōr), possibly from νέομαι (néomai, “to return safely”), νόστος (nóstos, “homecoming”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Nestors",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Nestor (plural Nestors)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "english": "legend",
      "translation": "legend",
      "word": "Nestor in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A wise old man, especially one who serves as a counselor or adviser."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "wise",
          "wise"
        ],
        [
          "old",
          "old"
        ],
        [
          "man",
          "man"
        ],
        [
          "counselor",
          "counselor"
        ],
        [
          "adviser",
          "adviser"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnɛstə/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnɛstɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "Nestor"
}

Download raw JSONL data for Nestor meaning in English (6.0kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-10-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-09-02 using wiktextract (1a05e46 and e3d6d4e). 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.