Pamela

See also pamela

English

Etymology

Invented by Sir Philip Sidney for his pastoral poem Arcadia (c 1593), probably from Ancient Greek παν- (pan-, “all”) + μέλι (meli, “honey”).

Proper noun

Pamela

1. A female given name
   • 1773 Henry Fielding, The History and Adventures of Joseph Andrews, page 259:

     They lived about thirty miles from the Squire; and she told me, that I might be sure to find her out by one circumstance; for that they had a daughter with a very strange name, Pamĕla, or Pamēla; some pronounced it one way, and some the other.

   • 1786 Samuel Richardson, Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, page 416:

     - But, Pamela, did you say? - A queer sort of name! - I've heard of it somewhere! - Is it a Christian or a Pagan name? - Linsey-woolsey - half one, half t'other - like thy girl - Ha, ha, ha.'

Related terms

• Pam, Pammy, Pammie