"Selma" meaning in English

See Selma in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proper name

IPA: /ˈsɛlmə/ Forms: Selmas [plural]
Etymology: Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā). Etymology templates: {{der|en|gd|sealladh}} Scottish Gaelic sealladh, {{bor|en|tr|Selma}} Turkish Selma, {{der|en|ar|سَلْمَى}} Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā), {{root|en|ar|س ل م}} Head templates: {{en-prop|~}} Selma (countable and uncountable, plural Selmas)
  1. (countable) A female given name. Tags: countable Translations (female given name): سَلْمَى (salmā) [feminine] (Arabic), 塞爾瑪 /塞尔玛 (Sài'ěrmǎ) (Chinese Mandarin), Selma (Danish), Selma [feminine] (Faroese), Selma (Finnish), Selma [feminine] (Icelandic), Selma (Norwegian), سلما (salmâ) (Persian), Selma [feminine] (Portuguese), Сельма (Selʹma) [feminine] (Russian), Сальма (Salʹma) [feminine] (Russian), Селма [Cyrillic, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), Selma [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), Salma [feminine] (Spanish), Selma (Swedish), Selma [feminine] (Turkish)
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-b1svBRzJ Categories (other): English female given names, English given names Disambiguation of 'female given name': 83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
  2. (countable) A surname. Tags: countable
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-EMUC1F3L Categories (other): English surnames
  3. A placename
    A community in Nova Scotia, Canada.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in Canada, Villages in Canada
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-Km-aZX5-
  4. A placename
    A village in Graubünden canton, Switzerland.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in Switzerland, Villages in Switzerland Translations (village in Switzerland): Selme (Lombard)
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-k2grswuX Disambiguation of 'village in Switzerland': 1 0 3 14 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
  5. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    A city, the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama; named for James Macpherson's Ossianic poem The Songs of Selma.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Cities in Alabama, USA, Cities in the United States, Places in Alabama, USA, Places in the United States
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-cQ27soLz Categories (other): County seats of Alabama, USA
  6. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    A city in Fresno County, California; named for early resident Selma Michelson.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Cities in California, USA, Cities in the United States, Places in California, USA, Places in the United States
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-jdeQbyIY Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 13 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Arabic translations, Terms with Danish translations, Terms with Faroese translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Icelandic translations, Terms with Lombard translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Norwegian translations, Terms with Persian translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations, Terms with Turkish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 1 0 4 0 5 21 5 5 5 21 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 2 1 9 1 9 17 5 5 5 17 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 Disambiguation of Pages with 13 entries: 2 2 3 1 6 17 6 6 6 16 6 6 6 6 6 6 1 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 1 1 4 0 5 22 5 5 5 21 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Arabic translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Danish translations: 3 1 4 1 7 11 7 7 7 12 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Faroese translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 3 1 3 1 7 12 7 7 7 12 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Icelandic translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Lombard translations: 2 2 4 1 7 11 7 7 7 11 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 2 1 3 1 7 12 7 7 7 12 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian translations: 3 1 3 1 7 12 7 7 7 12 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Persian translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 1 1 3 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 2 1 4 0 7 13 7 7 7 13 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 2 1 3 0 6 15 6 6 6 15 6 6 6 6 6 6 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Turkish translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1
  7. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    A city in Texas.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Cities in Texas, USA, Cities in the United States, Places in Texas, USA, Places in the United States
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-lwjNvZQE
  8. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    A town in North Carolina; named for the city in Alabama.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in North Carolina, USA, Places in the United States, Towns in North Carolina, USA, Towns in the United States
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-L3lSTcY1
  9. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    A town in Indiana.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in Indiana, USA, Places in the United States, Towns in Indiana, USA, Towns in the United States
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-H2atp9lw
  10. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    A census-designated place in Josephine County, Oregon.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Census-designated places in Oregon, USA, Places in Oregon, USA, Places in the United States
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-nHZnozDd Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 13 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Arabic translations, Terms with Danish translations, Terms with Faroese translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Icelandic translations, Terms with Lombard translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Norwegian translations, Terms with Persian translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations, Terms with Turkish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 1 0 4 0 5 21 5 5 5 21 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 2 1 9 1 9 17 5 5 5 17 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 Disambiguation of Pages with 13 entries: 2 2 3 1 6 17 6 6 6 16 6 6 6 6 6 6 1 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 1 1 4 0 5 22 5 5 5 21 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Arabic translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Danish translations: 3 1 4 1 7 11 7 7 7 12 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Faroese translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 3 1 3 1 7 12 7 7 7 12 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Icelandic translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Lombard translations: 2 2 4 1 7 11 7 7 7 11 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 2 1 3 1 7 12 7 7 7 12 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian translations: 3 1 3 1 7 12 7 7 7 12 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Persian translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 1 1 3 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 2 1 4 0 7 13 7 7 7 13 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 2 1 3 0 6 15 6 6 6 15 6 6 6 6 6 6 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Turkish translations: 2 1 4 1 7 10 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 7 7 1
  11. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    A census-designated place in Virginia.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Census-designated places in Virginia, USA, Places in Virginia, USA, Places in the United States
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-w1faShrS
  12. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    An unincorporated community in Arkansas.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in Arkansas, USA, Places in the United States, Unincorporated communities in Arkansas, USA
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-pIvDQvoC
  13. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    An unincorporated community in Iowa.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in Iowa, USA, Places in the United States, Unincorporated communities in Iowa, USA
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-8i1Z9wNI
  14. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    An unincorporated community in Kansas.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in Kansas, USA, Places in the United States, Unincorporated communities in Kansas, USA
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-mkZ8fwaN
  15. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    An unincorporated community in Missouri; named for the place in the Ossian cycle.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in Missouri, USA, Places in the United States, Unincorporated communities in Missouri, USA
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-JqEEFaUH
  16. A placename
    A place in the United States.
    An unincorporated community in Ohio.
    Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (place): Places in Ohio, USA, Places in the United States, Unincorporated communities in Ohio, USA
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-name-T5O3qCKT

Noun

IPA: /ˈsɛlmə/ Forms: Selmas [plural]
Etymology: Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā). Etymology templates: {{der|en|gd|sealladh}} Scottish Gaelic sealladh, {{bor|en|tr|Selma}} Turkish Selma, {{der|en|ar|سَلْمَى}} Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā), {{root|en|ar|س ل م}} Head templates: {{en-noun}} Selma (plural Selmas)
  1. (US, politics, figuratively) A confrontation where authorities brutally repress those wanting civil rights, similar to Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. Tags: US, figuratively Coordinate_terms: Bloody Sunday
    Sense id: en-Selma-en-noun-AAWs0TnE Categories (other): American English, Politics Topics: government, politics

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gd",
        "3": "sealladh"
      },
      "expansion": "Scottish Gaelic sealladh",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tr",
        "3": "Selma"
      },
      "expansion": "Turkish Selma",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
        "3": "سَلْمَى"
      },
      "expansion": "Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
        "3": "س ل م"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Selmas",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "Selma (countable and uncountable, plural Selmas)",
      "name": "en-prop"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English female given names",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English given names",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A female given name."
      ],
      "id": "en-Selma-en-name-b1svBRzJ",
      "links": [
        [
          "given name",
          "given name"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) A female given name."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "salmā",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "سَلْمَى"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "Sài'ěrmǎ",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "塞爾瑪 /塞尔玛"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Selma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "fo",
          "lang": "Faroese",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Selma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Selma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Selma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Selma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "salmâ",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "سلما"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Selma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "Selʹma",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Сельма"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "Salʹma",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Сальма"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Селма"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Selma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Salma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "word": "Selma"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "female given name",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Selma"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English surnames",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A surname."
      ],
      "id": "en-Selma-en-name-EMUC1F3L",
      "links": [
        [
          "surname",
          "surname"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) A surname."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Places in Canada",
          "orig": "en:Places in Canada",
          "parents": [
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Villages in Canada",
          "orig": "en:Villages in Canada",
          "parents": [
            "Villages",
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A community in Nova Scotia, Canada."
      ],
      "id": "en-Selma-en-name-Km-aZX5-",
      "links": [
        [
          "placename",
          "placename"
        ],
        [
          "community",
          "community"
        ],
        [
          "Nova Scotia",
          "Nova Scotia#English"
        ],
        [
          "Canada",
          "Canada#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Places in Switzerland",
          "orig": "en:Places in Switzerland",
          "parents": [
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Villages in Switzerland",
          "orig": "en:Villages in Switzerland",
          "parents": [
            "Villages",
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A village in Graubünden canton, Switzerland."
      ],
      "id": "en-Selma-en-name-k2grswuX",
      "links": [
        [
          "placename",
          "placename"
        ],
        [
          "village",
          "village"
        ],
        [
          "Graubünden",
          "Graubünden#English"
        ],
        [
          "Switzerland",
          "Switzerland#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 0 3 14 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7",
          "code": "lmo",
          "lang": "Lombard",
          "sense": "village in Switzerland",
          "word": "Selme"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Cities in Alabama, USA",
          "orig": "en:Cities in Alabama, USA",
          "parents": [
            "Cities",
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Cities in the United States",
          "orig": "en:Cities in the United States",
          "parents": [
            "Cities",
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "County seats of Alabama, USA",
          "orig": "en:County seats of Alabama, USA",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Places in Alabama, USA",
          "orig": "en:Places in Alabama, USA",
          "parents": [
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Places in the United States",
          "orig": "en:Places in the United States",
          "parents": [
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              146,
              151
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2015 March 5, Douglas Brinkley, “Selma’s historic bridge deserves a better name”, in CNN:",
          "text": "So when King – who had been in Atlanta for “Bloody Sunday” – telegrammed Parks about returning to Alabama to take part in a third mass march from Selma to Montgomery, her immediate answer was “Why, of course.”",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A place in the United States.",
        "A city, the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama; named for James Macpherson's Ossianic poem The Songs of Selma."
      ],
      "id": "en-Selma-en-name-cQ27soLz",
      "links": [
        [
          "placename",
          "placename"
        ],
        [
          "United States",
          "United States#English"
        ],
        [
          "city",
          "city"
        ],
        [
          "county seat",
          "county seat"
        ],
        [
          "Dallas County",
          "Dallas County#English"
        ],
        [
          "Alabama",
          "Alabama#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Cities in California, USA",
          "orig": "en:Cities in California, USA",
          "parents": [
            "Cities",
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Cities in the United States",
          "orig": "en:Cities in the United States",
          "parents": [
            "Cities",
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Places in California, USA",
          "orig": "en:Places in California, USA",
          "parents": [
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "place",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Places in the United States",
          "orig": "en:Places in the United States",
          "parents": [
            "Places"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 0 4 0 5 21 5 5 5 21 5 5 5 5 5 5 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "2 1 9 1 9 17 5 5 5 17 5 5 5 5 5 5 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "2 2 3 1 6 17 6 6 6 16 6 6 6 6 6 6 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 13 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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{
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      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
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    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
        "3": "س ل م"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).",
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      "form": "Selmas",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
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      "args": {},
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  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "American English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
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          "name": "Politics",
          "orig": "en:Politics",
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        }
      ],
      "coordinate_terms": [
        {
          "word": "Bloody Sunday"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2020, Dane Smith, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), \"Toward a better patriotism\", 3 July 2020",
          "text": "Eventually, our place and response may be viewed as a historic turning point, another Selma for the nation and world."
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Workers World, \"Black and Brown unity in Alabama\", 24 June 2015",
          "text": "Shelby County has become the new Selma."
        },
        {
          "ref": "1986, Daily Sitka Sentinel, Sitka Weekend, p.11, Friday 17 January 1986",
          "text": "\"I don't know how many Selmas you have in your memory,\" she said. \"I have a lot in mine.\""
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              9,
              15
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1965, The Fresno Bee, p.60, Wednesday 21 July 1965:",
          "text": "How Many Selmas? Still another city in the south Is learning the hard way that the Negro will settle for nothing less than first class citizenship.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A confrontation where authorities brutally repress those wanting civil rights, similar to Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama."
      ],
      "id": "en-Selma-en-noun-AAWs0TnE",
      "links": [
        [
          "politics",
          "politics"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(US, politics, figuratively) A confrontation where authorities brutally repress those wanting civil rights, similar to Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "figuratively"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "politics"
      ]
    }
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    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛlmə/"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "James Macpherson",
    "Ossian"
  ],
  "word": "Selma"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English terms derived from Scottish Gaelic",
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    "English uncountable nouns",
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    "Pages with entries",
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    "Terms with Danish translations",
    "Terms with Faroese translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Icelandic translations",
    "Terms with Lombard translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Norwegian translations",
    "Terms with Persian translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations"
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  "etymology_templates": [
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  "etymology_text": "Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).",
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        "(countable) A female given name."
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        "countable"
      ]
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    {
      "categories": [
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      "glosses": [
        "A surname."
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      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) A surname."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Places in Canada",
        "en:Villages in Canada"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
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      "links": [
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          "Canada",
          "Canada#English"
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      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Places in Switzerland",
        "en:Villages in Switzerland"
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      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A village in Graubünden canton, Switzerland."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "placename",
          "placename"
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          "village"
        ],
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          "Graubünden",
          "Graubünden#English"
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          "Switzerland",
          "Switzerland#English"
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      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
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        "en:Cities in the United States",
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          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A place in the United States.",
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      "links": [
        [
          "placename",
          "placename"
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        [
          "city",
          "city"
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        [
          "county seat",
          "county seat"
        ],
        [
          "Dallas County",
          "Dallas County#English"
        ],
        [
          "Alabama",
          "Alabama#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English eponyms",
        "en:Cities in California, USA",
        "en:Cities in the United States",
        "en:Places in California, USA",
        "en:Places in the United States"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A place in the United States.",
        "A city in Fresno County, California; named for early resident Selma Michelson."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "placename",
          "placename"
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        [
          "United States",
          "United States#English"
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        [
          "city",
          "city"
        ],
        [
          "Fresno County",
          "Fresno County#English"
        ],
        [
          "California",
          "California#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Cities in Texas, USA",
        "en:Cities in the United States",
        "en:Places in Texas, USA",
        "en:Places in the United States"
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      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A place in the United States.",
        "A city in Texas."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "placename",
          "placename"
        ],
        [
          "United States",
          "United States#English"
        ],
        [
          "city",
          "city"
        ],
        [
          "Texas",
          "Texas#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Places in North Carolina, USA",
        "en:Places in the United States",
        "en:Towns in North Carolina, USA",
        "en:Towns in the United States"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A place in the United States.",
        "A town in North Carolina; named for the city in Alabama."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "placename"
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        [
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          "North Carolina#English"
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      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
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    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Places in Indiana, USA",
        "en:Places in the United States",
        "en:Towns in Indiana, USA",
        "en:Towns in the United States"
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      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A place in the United States.",
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        [
          "Indiana",
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      "tags": [
        "countable",
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    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Census-designated places in Oregon, USA",
        "en:Places in Oregon, USA",
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      "glosses": [
        "A placename",
        "A place in the United States.",
        "A census-designated place in Josephine County, Oregon."
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        [
          "Oregon",
          "Oregon#English"
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      "tags": [
        "countable",
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      "tags": [
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      "tags": [
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      "glosses": [
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        "An unincorporated community in Iowa."
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        "A place in the United States.",
        "An unincorporated community in Missouri; named for the place in the Ossian cycle."
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        "A place in the United States.",
        "An unincorporated community in Ohio."
      ],
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      "tags": [
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  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛlmə/"
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  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "salmā",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "سَلْمَى"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "Sài'ěrmǎ",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "塞爾瑪 /塞尔玛"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "fo",
      "lang": "Faroese",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "salmâ",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "سلما"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "Selʹma",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Сельма"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "Salʹma",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Сальма"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Селма"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Salma"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "female given name",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Selma"
    },
    {
      "code": "lmo",
      "lang": "Lombard",
      "sense": "village in Switzerland",
      "word": "Selme"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "James Macpherson",
    "Ossian"
  ],
  "word": "Selma"
}

{
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    "Terms with Icelandic translations",
    "Terms with Lombard translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Norwegian translations",
    "Terms with Persian translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations"
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  "etymology_text": "Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).",
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      "categories": [
        "American English",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "en:Politics"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2020, Dane Smith, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), \"Toward a better patriotism\", 3 July 2020",
          "text": "Eventually, our place and response may be viewed as a historic turning point, another Selma for the nation and world."
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Workers World, \"Black and Brown unity in Alabama\", 24 June 2015",
          "text": "Shelby County has become the new Selma."
        },
        {
          "ref": "1986, Daily Sitka Sentinel, Sitka Weekend, p.11, Friday 17 January 1986",
          "text": "\"I don't know how many Selmas you have in your memory,\" she said. \"I have a lot in mine.\""
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              9,
              15
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1965, The Fresno Bee, p.60, Wednesday 21 July 1965:",
          "text": "How Many Selmas? Still another city in the south Is learning the hard way that the Negro will settle for nothing less than first class citizenship.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A confrontation where authorities brutally repress those wanting civil rights, similar to Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "politics",
          "politics"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(US, politics, figuratively) A confrontation where authorities brutally repress those wanting civil rights, similar to Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "figuratively"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "politics"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɛlmə/"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "James Macpherson",
    "Ossian"
  ],
  "word": "Selma"
}

Download raw JSONL data for Selma meaning in English (14.3kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-06-07 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-06-01 using wiktextract (92124b4 and f1c2b61). 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.