william
/ˈwɪl.i.əm/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.88 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter W.
name
A male given name from the Germanic languages popular since the Norman Conquest.
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "This name hath been most common in England since King William the Conquerour, insomuch that upon a festival day in the Court of King Henry the Second, when Sir William Saint-John, and Sir William Fitz-Hamon, especial Officers, had commanded that none but of the name of William should dine in the great Chamber with them, they were accompanied with a hundred and twenty Williams."
- "But we have known Williams and Richards, names not found in sacred story, but familiar to our country, prove as gracious saints as any Safe deliverance, Fight the good fight of faith, or such like,"
- "By the same token I should probably have called myself 'Bill'. With a name like William you have choices. Very handy for us chameleons. 'William' is stern and dignified. A little austere and unapproachable. He conquers things. It is what my mother calls me when she is angry with me."
- "One was a piece, Two Cheers for the Whig Interpretation of History, by William Cronon, president of the American Historical Association."
- "The settlement came after a ruling in June by Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California."
Etymology
From Middle English William, from Anglo-Norman Willame, from Old High German Willahelm, from Proto-Germanic *Wiljahelmaz (> Latin Gulielmus), from Proto-Germanic *wiljô (“will”) + *helmaz (“helmet”), ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European roots *welh₁- (“to choose, wish, want”) and *ḱel- (“to cover, conceal, save”) respectively. Cognate with Dutch Willem, German Wilhelm, etc.; cognate borrowings outside of Germanic include Guillaume and Guillermo.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *welh₁-, William, Willame, Willahelm, *Wiljahelmaz, *wiljô
Inflected Forms
Wm. (alternative, abbreviation)
Williams (plural)