hilary
n. countablen. a common name for women. It is short for Hilary or Hillary.
n. a feminine given name, typically a short form of Hilary or Hillary.
Hilary is my best friend.
Hilary works as a teacher at the local primary school.
The name Hilary gained widespread popularity in the mid-twentieth century, often associated with figures in politics and literature.
From Latin Hilarius (“cheerful, happy”), name of a fourth-century saint, and from its feminine form Hilaria.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 5, 2026