ENGLISH
REFERENCE

nicholas

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈnɪkəɫəs// nicholas

n. a common name for a man or a boy. People often shorten it to Nick or Nicky when they are being friendly.

n. a masculine given name of Greek origin, meaning 'victory of the people'. It is widely used across Christian cultures and frequently appears in various diminutive forms.


SIMPLE

My friend Nicholas lives in London.

CONTEXTUAL

The office manager, Nicholas, sent an email to everyone about the upcoming holiday party.

COMPLEX

Historical records indicate that Nicholas was a popular name among the Byzantine nobility before spreading throughout Western Europe during the Middle Ages.

Origin

From Middle English Nicholas, from Old French Nicholas, from Latin Nīcolāus, from Ancient Greek Νικόλαος (Nikólaos), from νίκη (níkē, “victory”) + λαός (laós, “people”).

Usage

As a proper noun, it is almost always capitalized.

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