Word
arthur
Phoneticsarthur
/ˈɑɹθɝ/
Definitions
01male name
n. a common first name for men, often associated with the legendary King Arthur.
n. a male given name of Celtic origin, famously associated with the semi-mythical King Arthur of Britain.
“Arthur was a very popular name for boys in the early twentieth century.”
“The legends of King Arthur and his knights have influenced Western literature and folklore for centuries.”
02Guinness beer
n. a casual name for Guinness stout, named after its creator, Arthur Guinness.
n. a metonymic reference to Guinness stout, derived from the name of the brewery's founder, Arthur Guinness.
“We went to the pub for a pint of Arthur after work.”
“While visiting Dublin, he enjoyed a quiet pint of Arthur in a traditional pub near the Liffey.”
Informal · Dialect
Usage
Usually used as an uncountable noun in the phrase 'a pint of Arthur'.
Teaching tip
This sense is specific to Ireland and refers to the brand's founder; it is highly informal and best used in social settings.
Etymology
From the name of the legendary king, from Middle English Arthure, from Medieval Latin Arthurus, probably from Middle Welsh arth (“bear”). Other suggestions include Old Welsh arth (“bear”) and ur (“man”), or a Latinized (Romano-British) name; compare Latin Artorius, itself possibly of Etruscan origin, or more likely Messapic-Illyrian related to Proto-Albanian *artsa (“bear”).
After Arthur Guinness, a famous brewer.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/arthur