Jessica
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
First used by Shakespeare in Merchant of Venice, probably from Hebrew יִסְכָּה (Yisəkah, "Iscah" in Genesis 11:29, "Jescha" in the Wycliffe version), a proper name meaning "one who looks forth" ( but apparently not used as an ordinary word with that meaning).
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Proper noun
Jessica
- A female given name; formerly rare, but since the 1970s popular in all English-speaking countries .
- 1594 William Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice: Act V: Scene I:
- Lorenzo: In such a night / Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew, / And with an unthrift love did run from Venice, / As far as Belmont.
- Jessica: In such a night / Did young Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well, / Stealing her soul with many vows of faith, / And ne'er a true one.
- Lorenzo: In such a night / Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, / Slander her love, and he forgave it her.
- 1996 Tad Williams, The Writer's Child, The Sandman Book of Dreams, HarperCollins, ISBN 0002246325, page 154:
- She will be beautiful, of course - how could our child not be beautiful? We will name her...Jessica. Yes, that's a good name, not one of those lighter-than-air names so popular among writers of romances and fairy tales. That's a name a real little girl might have.
- 1594 William Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice: Act V: Scene I:
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Translations
a female given name
[edit] Danish
[edit] Proper noun
Jessica
- A female given name recently borrowed from English.
[edit] French
[edit] Proper noun
Jessica
- A female given name borrowed from English, popular in the end of the 20th century.
[edit] German
[edit] Proper noun
Jessica
- A female given name borrowed from English, popular in the end of the 20th century.
[edit] Swedish
[edit] Alternative forms
[edit] Proper noun
Jessica
- A female given name borrowed from English and popular in the end of the 20th century.
