Susan

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See also: susan

English

Etymology 1

English form of the biblical Susanna, from Biblical Hebrew שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (šōšannā, “lily”); compare with Egyptian 𓊃𓈙𓈖𓆸 (sšn).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsuː.zən/, /ˈsuː.zɪn/
  • Audio (southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːzən

Proper noun

Susan (plural Susans)

  1. A female given name from Hebrew.
    • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
      Susan and she - God rest all Christian souls! - / Were of an age. Well, Susan is with God; / She was too good for me.
    • 1855 Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South, Bernhard Tauchnitz 1855, page 382:
      "With all my heart, though I have not an idea who little Susan may be. But I have a kindness for all Susans, for simple Susan's sake.
    • 1932 Ernest Weekley, Words and Names, J.Murray 1932, page 84:
      My own 'reaction' to the name Susan is a vision of a sturdy young woman garbed in 'print' and armed with a mop or other domestic implement, a picture compounded of a succession of domestic Susans passing before the eyes of early childhood. […] It is symptomatic of the game of general post now being played by the classes and the masses that Susan is taking refuge, with Betty, Peggy, Jane and Ann, among the aristocracy, while Gladys and Muriel reign below stairs,
    • 2006 Anne Tyler, Digging to America, Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, pages 10, 62:
      Susan, they called her. They chose a name that resembled the name she had come with, Sooki, and also it was a comfortable sound for Iranians to pronounce. "Su-san!" Maryam would sing when she went in to get her from her nap. "Su-Su-Su!"
      Even on issues pertaining to their daughter, the Yazdans took a very different approach. Imagine changing that charming name, Sooki, part of her native heritage, to plain old Susan!
Usage notes
  • In continuous use since the Middle Ages, with the latest popularity peak in the mid-twentieth century.
Derived terms
Variants
Diminutives
Translations

Etymology 2

Susa +‎ -an

Adjective

Susan (not comparable)

  1. (historical) Of or pertaining to the ancient city of Susa.

Noun

Susan (plural Susans)

  1. (historical) A person from the ancient city of Susa.

Anagrams

Cebuano

Etymology

From English Susan.

Proper noun

Susan

  1. a female given name from Hebrew

Danish

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Proper noun

Susan

  1. a female given name borrowed from English

Romanian

Etymology

From susan.

Proper noun

Susan m (genitive/dative lui Susan)

  1. a surname
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