Christopher
English
Etymology
From Late Latin Christophorus, from Koine Greek Χρῑστόφορος (Khrīstóphoros, “carrier of Christ”), from Ancient Greek Χριστός (Khristós, “Christ”) + φόρος (phóros, “carrier, bearer”), from φέρειν (phérein, “to carry, to bear”) + -ος (-os, “-er: forming agent nouns”), from the legend of Saint Christopher carrying the infant Jesus across a river.
Pronunciation
Proper noun
Christopher
- A male given name from Ancient Greek.
- c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act INDUCTION, scene ii]:
- Am not I Christopher Sly, old Sly's son, of Burtonheath; by birth a pedlar, by education a card-maker, by transmutation a bear-herd, and now by present profession a tinker?
- 1934, Dorothy Sayers, The Nine Tailors:
- - - - a baby, which also happened to fall due, was baptized "Paul" ( for the church ) "Christopher" ( because St. Christopher had to do with rivers and ferries ), the Rector strenuously resisting the parents' desire to call it "Van Weyden Flood".
- A surname originating as a patronymic.
Derived terms
Related terms
- Chip, Kester, Kit, Kristopher
Translations
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References
- “Christopher”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
Cebuano
Etymology
From English Christopher, from Ancient Greek Χριστόφορος (Khristóphoros, “Christ-bearing”).
Danish
Etymology
English style spelling variant of the standard Danish Christoffer.
French
Etymology
Borrowed from English Christopher, as a variant of the standard French Christophe.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kʁis.tɔ.fɛʁ/
Audio (file)
German
Etymology
From English Christopher, as a variant of the standard German Christoph.
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Proper noun
Christopher m (proper noun, strong, genitive Christophers)
- a male given name from English
Norwegian
Etymology
English style spelling variant of the standard Norwegian Kristoffer.
Portuguese
Alternative forms
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English Christopher. Doublet of Cristóvão and Cristóforo.
Pronunciation
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈkɾis.to.feʁ/ [ˈkɾis.to.feh]
- (São Paulo) IPA(key): /ˈkɾis.to.feɾ/
- (Rio de Janeiro) IPA(key): /ˈkɾiʃ.to.feʁ/ [ˈkɾiʃ.to.feχ]
- (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈkɾis.to.feɻ/
Swedish
Etymology
English style spelling variant of the standard Swedish Kristoffer.
Pronunciation
Audio (file)