Charles

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Jump to: navigation, search

Contents

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From the French Charles, from the German Karl, from the Germanic root karal, meaning person, free man; compare the English word churl and the German Kerl.

[edit] Proper noun

Singular
Charles

Plural
-

Charles

  1. A male given name
  2. A patronymic surname.

[edit] Usage notes

Common given name since the Middle Ages.

[edit] Related terms

[edit] Quotations

  • 1599 William Shakespeare, King Henry V, Act I, Scene II:
    Charles the Great / Subdued the Saxons, and did seat the French / Beyond the river Sala, in the year / Eight hundred five.
  • 1844 Edgar Allan Poe: Thou Art the Man:
    - - - there never was any person named Charles who was not an open, manly, honest, good-natured, and frank-hearted fellow, with a rich, clear, voice, that did you good to hear it, and an eye that looked at you always straight at the face, as much as to say: "I have a clear conscience myself, am afraid of no man, and am altogether above doing a mean action." And thus all the hearty, careless,'walking gentlemen' of the stage are very certain to be called Charles. ( Note: Charles turns out to be the villain of this story.)
  • 1988 Ed McBain: The House That Jack Built: page 212:
    - - - spoke the way the English do, funny, you know? His name was Roger, I think. Or Nigel. Something like that." / "How about Charles?" / "Charles? Well, yes, it could have been.Charles does sound English, doesn't it? Their prince is named Charles, isn't he?"

[edit] Translations

given name


[edit] Anagrams


[edit] French

[edit] Proper noun

Charles m.

  1. A male given name, cognate to English Charles

[edit] Swedish

[edit] Proper noun

Charles

  1. A male given name borrowed from English and French.
Retrieved from "http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Charles"