philip
- 01 A1 Beginner
a common first name for a man.
a common male given name, derived from the Greek name Philippos, meaning 'lover of horses'.
Simple“My brother Philip is starting his new job at the hospital tomorrow.”
In context“Philip was named after his grandfather, following a long-standing family tradition of passing down the name to the firstborn son.”
UsageOften shortened to 'Phil' in informal contexts.
PitfallPhillip PhilipWhile both spellings exist, 'Philip' with one 'l' is the traditional spelling for the biblical name and many historical figures.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
one of the twelve original followers of Jesus in the Bible.
one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus in the New Testament; also refers to Philip the Evangelist.
Simple“The stained glass window in the church shows Saint Philip.”
In context“In the Gospel of John, Philip is the apostle who introduces Nathanael to Jesus.”
UsageUsually preceded by the title 'Saint' in religious contexts.
- 03 B1 Intermediate
a family name or last name.
a surname of patronymic origin, indicating 'son of Philip'.
Simple“The author of the book is a woman named Jane Philip.”
In context“The Philip family has lived in this part of the county for several generations, according to the local records.”
UsageLess common as a surname than the variant 'Phillips'.
Synonyms
From Middle English Philip, ultimately from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos), name of ancient kings of Macedonia, from φίλιππος (phílippos, “fond of horses”), from φιλέω (philéō, “to love”) + ἵππος (híppos, “horse”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.