James
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /d͡ʒeɪmz/
Proper noun
  1. (biblical) The twentieth book of the New Testament of the Bible, the general epistle of James.
  2. One of two Apostles, James the Greater and James the Less, often identified with James, brother of Jesus.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Matthew 10:1–3 ↗:
      Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
  3. A male given name popular since the Middle Ages. Also a common middle name.
    • 1810, Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake; a Poem, Edinburgh: Printed [by James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, OCLC 6632529 ↗, canto VI (The Guard-room), stanza XXVIII, page 286 ↗:
      {...}} And Normans call me James Fitz-James. / Thus watch I o'er insulted laws, / Thus learn to right the injured cause. {{...}
    • 1979 Charles Kuralt, Dateline America, Harcourt Brace Jovanocich, ISBN 0151239576, page 184:
      Heaven only knows why a man with a strong biblical name like James wants to be a president named Jimmy.
  4. Surname
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