James

noun

1
: an apostle, son of Zebedee, and brother of the apostle John according to the Gospel accounts
2
: an apostle and son of Alphaeus according to the Gospel accounts

called also James the Less

3
: a brother of Jesus traditionally held to be the author of the New Testament Epistle of James
4
: a moral lecture addressed to early Christians and included as a book in the New Testament see Bible Table

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *Jacomus, alteration of Late Latin Jacobus, Jacob Jacob

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of James was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near James

Cite this Entry

“James.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/James. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

James

noun
: a moral lecture addressed to early Christians and included as a book in the New Testament see bible

Geographical Definition

James

geographical name

1
or officially Dakota river 710 miles (1143 kilometers) long in North Dakota and South Dakota flowing south to the Missouri River
2
river 340 miles (547 kilometers) long in Virginia flowing east into Chesapeake Bay at Hampton Roads

Biographical Definition

James 1 of 7

biographical name (1)

name of 6 kings of Scotland and 2 kings of Great Britain: especially VI 1566–1625 of Scotland (reigned 1567–1603) or I of Great Britain (reigned 1603–25); II 1633–1701 (reigned 1685–88)

James

2 of 7

biographical name (2)

Henry 1811–1882 American philosopher

James

3 of 7

biographical name (3)

Henry 1843–1916 son of Henry James British (American-born) writer
Jamesian adjective

James

4 of 7

biographical name (4)

Jesse Woodson 1847–1882 American outlaw

James

5 of 7

biographical name (5)

LeBron (Raymone) 1984–     American basketball player

James

6 of 7

biographical name (6)

P(hyllis) D(orothy) 1920–2014 Baroness James of Holland Park British writer

James

7 of 7

biographical name (7)

William 1842–1910 brother of Henry James (writer) American psychologist and philosopher
Jamesian adjective
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