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Arthur
masc. proper name, from Medieval Latin Arthurus/Arturus, usually said to be from Welsh arth "bear," cognate with Greek arktos, Latin ursus (see arctic).
Entries linking to arthur
arctic (adj.)late 14c., artik, in reference to the north pole of the heavens, from Old French artique and directly from Medieval Latin articus, from Latin arcticus, from Greek arktikos "of the north," literally "of the (constellation) Bear," from arktos "bear; Ursa Major; the region of the north," the Bear being the best-known northern circumpolar constellation.
This is from *rkto-, the usual Indo-European root for "bear" (source also of Avestan aresho, Armenian arj, Albanian ari, Latin ursus, Welsh arth); see bear (n.) for speculation on why Germanic lost the word.
The -c- was restored from 1550s. From early 15c. as "northern;" from 1660s as "cold, frigid." As a noun, with capital A-, "the northern polar regions," from 1560s.
This is from *rkto-, the usual Indo-European root for "bear" (source also of Avestan aresho, Armenian arj, Albanian ari, Latin ursus, Welsh arth); see bear (n.) for speculation on why Germanic lost the word.
The -c- was restored from 1550s. From early 15c. as "northern;" from 1660s as "cold, frigid." As a noun, with capital A-, "the northern polar regions," from 1560s.
erne (n.)"sea eagle," from Old English earn "eagle," from Proto-Germanic *aron-, *arnuz "eagle" (source also of Old High German arn, German Aar, Middle Dutch arent, Old Norse örn, Gothic ara "eagle"), from PIE root *or- "great bird" (source also of Greek ornis "bird," Old Church Slavonic orilu, Lithuanian erelis, Welsh eryr "eagle"). The Germanic word also survives in the first element of names such as Arnold and Arthur.
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updated on October 10, 2017
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Definitions of Arthur from WordNet
Arthur (n.)
elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886);
Synonyms: Chester A. Arthur / Chester Alan Arthur / President Arthur
Arthur (n.)
a legendary king of the Britons (possibly based on a historical figure in the 6th century but the story has been retold too many times to be sure); said to have led the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot;
Synonyms: King Arthur
From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.
Dictionary entries near Arthur
arthro-
arthropod
Arthropoda
arthroscopic
arthroscopy
Arthur
Arthurian
artichoke
article
articular
articulate
