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benjamin

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: Benjamin, benjamín, Benjamín, Benjámin, and Benjamîn

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbɛnd͡ʒəmɪn/
  • Audio (General Australian):(file)
  • Hyphenation: ben‧ja‧min

Etymology 1

From benzoin, modified by folk etymology to match the name Benjamin.

Noun

benjamin (countable and uncountable, plural benjamins)

  1. A balsamic resin from the bark of Styrax trees used in perfumes, incense, and medicine; benzoin resin.
  2. A type of tree which produces benzoin or has similar properties; specifically, Styrax benzoin, Lindera benzoin; a Benjamin bush.
Translations

Further reading

Etymology 2

Noun

benjamin (plural benjamins)

  1. (UK, slang, dated) A kind of upper coat for men.
    • 1826, The Atheneum, volume 18, page 236:
      something which is not long enough to constitute a benjamin, and too long for a dress coat or spencer
    • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:
      How the young man from Cambridge sulkily put his five great-coats in front; but was reconciled when little Miss Sharp was made to quit the carriage, and mount up beside him—when he covered her up in one of his Benjamins, and became perfectly good-humoured—

References

  • John Camden Hotten (1873), The Slang Dictionary

Etymology 3

From the image of Benjamin Franklin on the US $100 bill.

Noun

benjamin (plural benjamins)

  1. (US, slang) Alternative letter-case form of Benjamin: a US $100 bill.
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French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bɛ̃.ʒa.mɛ̃/
  • Audio (Switzerland (Valais)):(file)
  • Audio (France (Toulouse)):(file)
  • Audio (France (Vosges)):(file)
  • Audio (France (Vosges)):(file)
  • Audio (France (Saint-Étienne)):(file)
  • Audio (France (Lyon)):(file)

Etymology 1

From the biblical character Benjamin.

Noun

benjamin m (plural benjamins, feminine benjamine)

  1. youngest child (in a family)
    Synonym: dernier-né
    Coordinate terms: aîné, cadet
  2. child loved disproportionally more by the parents in a family
  3. (sports) One of the age classes for children; varies by sport

Etymology 2

After French Scrabble player Benjamin Hannuna.

Noun

benjamin m (plural benjamins)

  1. (Scrabble) a three-letter addition to the beginning of a word that creates another valid word, especially one that reaches a "triple word score" square

Further reading

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Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French benjamin.

Noun

benjamin m (plural benjamini)

  1. youngest child (in a family)

Declension

More information singular, plural ...

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