"Ralph" meaning in English

See Ralph in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proper name

IPA: /ɹælf/, /ɹeɪf/ (note: older UK) Audio: en-us-ralph.ogg [US]
Rhymes: -ælf, -eɪf Etymology: From Middle English Radulf, from Old English Rǣdwulf (also as Raulf), from Proto-West Germanic *Rādawulf, from Proto-Germanic *Rēdawulfaz. Reinforced by similar forms brought to England, e.g. Old Norse Ráðúlfr, then in the Norman form Old French Radulf, Radulph. For the sense relating to vomiting, see ralph. Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*h₂er-}}, {{inh|en|enm|Radulf}} Middle English Radulf, {{inh|en|ang|Rǣdwulf}} Old English Rǣdwulf, {{m|ang|Raulf}} Raulf, {{inh|en|gmw-pro|*Rādawulf}} Proto-West Germanic *Rādawulf, {{inh|en|gem-pro|*Rēdawulfaz}} Proto-Germanic *Rēdawulfaz, {{cog|non|Ráðúlfr}} Old Norse Ráðúlfr, {{cog|fro|Radulf}} Old French Radulf, {{m|fro|Radulph}} Radulph, {{m|en|ralph}} ralph Head templates: {{en-proper noun}} Ralph
  1. A male given name from the Germanic languages. Categories (topical): English given names, English male given names Synonyms: Rawle [surname] Derived forms: talk to Ralph on the big white telephone Translations (male given name): র্যালফ (royaloph) (Bengali), Raül [masculine] (Catalan), 拉爾夫 (Chinese Mandarin), 拉尔夫 (Lā'ěrfū) (Chinese Mandarin), Ralf (Danish), Rolfo (Esperanto), Raul (Estonian), Rauli (Finnish), Raoul (French), რალფი (ralpi) (Georgian), რაული (rauli) (Georgian), რუდოლფი (rudolpi) (Georgian), Ralf (German), Raul [masculine] (Italian), Ralfs [masculine] (Latvian), Ralf [masculine] (Polish), Raul (Portuguese), Raúl (Spanish), Ralf (Swedish), Rolf (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-Ralph-en-name-esvibhbL Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English spelling pronunciations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 75 21 4 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 82 14 3 Disambiguation of English spelling pronunciations: 82 15 3 Disambiguation of 'male given name': 94 5 0
  2. A surname originating as a patronymic.
    Sense id: en-Ralph-en-name-Xs1vzbdd Categories (other): English surnames
  3. (slang) Fictional person used in references to vomiting. Tags: slang
    Sense id: en-Ralph-en-name-UyPv3kt3

Download JSON data for Ralph meaning in English (6.5kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂er-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "Radulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English Radulf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "Rǣdwulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English Rǣdwulf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "Raulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Raulf",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*Rādawulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *Rādawulf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*Rēdawulfaz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *Rēdawulfaz",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "non",
        "2": "Ráðúlfr"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Norse Ráðúlfr",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "Radulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French Radulf",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "Radulph"
      },
      "expansion": "Radulph",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ralph"
      },
      "expansion": "ralph",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English Radulf, from Old English Rǣdwulf (also as Raulf), from Proto-West Germanic *Rādawulf, from Proto-Germanic *Rēdawulfaz. Reinforced by similar forms brought to England, e.g. Old Norse Ráðúlfr, then in the Norman form Old French Radulf, Radulph. For the sense relating to vomiting, see ralph.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Ralph",
      "name": "en-proper noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "name": "English given names",
          "parents": [
            "Given names",
            "Names",
            "All topics",
            "Proper nouns",
            "Terms by semantic function",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nouns",
            "Lemmas"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "name": "English male given names",
          "parents": [
            "Male given names",
            "Given names",
            "Names",
            "All topics",
            "Proper nouns",
            "Terms by semantic function",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nouns",
            "Lemmas"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 21 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "82 14 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "82 15 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English spelling pronunciations",
          "parents": [
            "Spelling pronunciations",
            "Terms by etymology"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "_dis1": "56 15 29",
          "word": "talk to Ralph on the big white telephone"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1998 The Spectator, 7 March 1998, page 55 (\"Dear Mary...\")",
          "text": "Regarding the correct pronunciation, especially of the name Ralph: according to a friend at the BBC, the possibilities of this name - either aristocratic 'Rafe' or vulgar, almost Australasian 'Ralff' - lie in its potential for wilful mispronunciation against type. I saw him cast confusion into an over-confident studio guest by introducing him as 'Sir Rafe Halpern'. This was nothing to the consternation, almost disintegration of the personality, of the artistic, aloof actor brought on as 'Rolf Fiennes' ('Fiennes', naturally, pronounced superbly)."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A male given name from the Germanic languages."
      ],
      "id": "en-Ralph-en-name-esvibhbL",
      "links": [
        [
          "given name",
          "given name"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "56 15 29",
          "tags": [
            "surname"
          ],
          "word": "Rawle"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "bn",
          "lang": "Bengali",
          "roman": "royaloph",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "র্যালফ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Raül"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "拉爾夫"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "Lā'ěrfū",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "拉尔夫"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Ralf"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Rolfo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Raul"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Rauli"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Raoul"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "ralpi",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "რალფი"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "rauli",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "რაული"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "rudolpi",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "რუდოლფი"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Ralf"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Raul"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "lv",
          "lang": "Latvian",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Ralfs"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Ralf"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Raul"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Raúl"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Ralf"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 5 0",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "male given name",
          "word": "Rolf"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English surnames",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A surname originating as a patronymic."
      ],
      "id": "en-Ralph-en-name-Xs1vzbdd",
      "links": [
        [
          "surname",
          "surname"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "He's outside calling Ralph [i.e. vomiting]."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Fictional person used in references to vomiting."
      ],
      "id": "en-Ralph-en-name-UyPv3kt3",
      "links": [
        [
          "vomit",
          "vomit#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) Fictional person used in references to vomiting."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ɹælf/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ælf"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ɹeɪf/",
      "note": "older UK"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-eɪf"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-ralph.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fa/En-us-ralph.ogg/En-us-ralph.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/En-us-ralph.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Ralph"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 1-syllable words",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English spelling pronunciations",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂er-",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
    "English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Rhymes:English/eɪf",
    "Rhymes:English/eɪf/1 syllable",
    "Rhymes:English/ælf",
    "Rhymes:English/ælf/1 syllable"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "talk to Ralph on the big white telephone"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂er-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "Radulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English Radulf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "Rǣdwulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English Rǣdwulf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "Raulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Raulf",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*Rādawulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *Rādawulf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*Rēdawulfaz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *Rēdawulfaz",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "non",
        "2": "Ráðúlfr"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Norse Ráðúlfr",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "Radulf"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French Radulf",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "Radulph"
      },
      "expansion": "Radulph",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ralph"
      },
      "expansion": "ralph",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English Radulf, from Old English Rǣdwulf (also as Raulf), from Proto-West Germanic *Rādawulf, from Proto-Germanic *Rēdawulfaz. Reinforced by similar forms brought to England, e.g. Old Norse Ráðúlfr, then in the Norman form Old French Radulf, Radulph. For the sense relating to vomiting, see ralph.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "Ralph",
      "name": "en-proper noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English given names",
        "English male given names",
        "English male given names from Germanic languages"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1998 The Spectator, 7 March 1998, page 55 (\"Dear Mary...\")",
          "text": "Regarding the correct pronunciation, especially of the name Ralph: according to a friend at the BBC, the possibilities of this name - either aristocratic 'Rafe' or vulgar, almost Australasian 'Ralff' - lie in its potential for wilful mispronunciation against type. I saw him cast confusion into an over-confident studio guest by introducing him as 'Sir Rafe Halpern'. This was nothing to the consternation, almost disintegration of the personality, of the artistic, aloof actor brought on as 'Rolf Fiennes' ('Fiennes', naturally, pronounced superbly)."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A male given name from the Germanic languages."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "given name",
          "given name"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English surnames",
        "English surnames from patronymics"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A surname originating as a patronymic."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "surname",
          "surname"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English slang"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "He's outside calling Ralph [i.e. vomiting]."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Fictional person used in references to vomiting."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "vomit",
          "vomit#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang) Fictional person used in references to vomiting."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ɹælf/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ælf"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ɹeɪf/",
      "note": "older UK"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-eɪf"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-ralph.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fa/En-us-ralph.ogg/En-us-ralph.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/En-us-ralph.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "surname"
      ],
      "word": "Rawle"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bn",
      "lang": "Bengali",
      "roman": "royaloph",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "র্যালফ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Raül"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "拉爾夫"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "Lā'ěrfū",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "拉尔夫"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Ralf"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Rolfo"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Raul"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Rauli"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Raoul"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "ralpi",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "რალფი"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "rauli",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "რაული"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "rudolpi",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "რუდოლფი"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Ralf"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Raul"
    },
    {
      "code": "lv",
      "lang": "Latvian",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Ralfs"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Ralf"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Raul"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Raúl"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Ralf"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "male given name",
      "word": "Rolf"
    }
  ],
  "word": "Ralph"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-16 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (e268c0e and 304864d). 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.