Euphemia

English

Etymology

Name of an early Christian martyr, from Ancient Greek, meaning "good speech".

• From Ancient Greek ευ (“good”) + φημί (“to speak”).

Pronunciation

• (Greek) IPA: /ɛffiː'miːə/
• (English) IPA: /ɛf'fiːmiːə/

Proper noun

Euphemia

1. A female given name.
   • 1835 Catharine Maria Sedgwick, Home, James Munroe and Company 1850, page 52:

     "Euphemia is Grandmama's name, my dear." The children looked grave. Euphemia sounded very strange and old-fashioned to them. "Or Effie," added Mr. Barclay, "if you like that better."

     Effie, the prettiest of diminutives, gained all suffrages.

   • 1905 H. G. Wells, Kipps, Kessinger Publishing 2005, ISBN 141791758X, page 136:

     "Euphemia," said Kipps at last, unable altogether to keep to himself this suspicion of a high origin that floated so delightfully about him, "Eu-phemia; it isn't a name common people would give to a girl, is it?" - - -

     "It's givin' girls names like that," said Buggins, "that nine times out of ten makes 'em go wrong. It unsettles 'em. If ever I was to have a dozen girls, I'd call 'em all Jane.

Related terms

• Effie
• Phemie

Translations

female given name

• Italian: Eufemia (it)
• Portuguese: Eufêmia (pt)

• Spanish: Eufemia (es)