Benjamin

See also: benjamin, benjamín, Benjamín, Benjámin, and Benjamîn

English

Etymology

From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right/south or son of days”). Authorities differ on the meaning of the original Hebrew. Philo of Alexandria, the Samaritan Pentateuch The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs and Midrash Leḳaḥ-Ṭob understand יָמִין to mean "days" (a meaning attested in Daniel 12:13) understanding the name to mean "son of days (i.e. old age)", a formula paraphrased in Genesis 40:22 where Benjamin is described as a child of Jacob's old age. Rashi in his commentary on Genesis also gives this as a possible meaning but favors an understanding of יָמִין to mean "right" in the sense of "the south", noting that Benjamin was the only son of Jacob born in the south. Jerome understood the name to mean "son of the right hand" and Gesenius speculated that this expression might have meant "son of good fortune".

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/
• Hyphenation: Ben‧ja‧min

Proper noun

Benjamin (countable and uncountable, plural Benjamins)

1. The youngest of the sons of Jacob and Rachel in the Bible.
   • Template:RQ:Authorized Version:

     And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

   • 1908, George Bernard Shaw, Getting Married:

     What about the youngest child - the Benjamin - the child of its parents' mature strength and charity, always better treated than the unfortunate eldest children of their youthful ignorance and wilfulness?

2. A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.
   • 2007 Mark Schreiber, Starcrossed, Llewellyn Worldwide, →ISBN, page 53:

     "Well, who the hell ever thinks some boy with a name like Benjamin is going to kill someone?" I said. "It's like someone named Winnie the Pooh taking hostages!"

3. A small city, the county seat of Knox County, Texas, United States.

Translations

the youngest son of Jacob

• Arabic: بِنْيَامِين m (binyāmīn), بَنْيَامِين m (banyāmīn)
• Armenian: Բենիամին (Beniamin)
• Belarusian: Веніямі́н m (Vjenijamín)
• Catalan: Benjamí m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 便雅憫／便雅悯 (Biànyǎmǐn), 便雅悯 (Biànyǎmǐn)

• Czech: Benjamín m
• Danish: Benjamin
• Esperanto: Benjameno
• Finnish: Benjamin (fi)
• French: Benjamin (fr) m
• German: Benjamin (de) m
• Greek: Βενιαμίν (el) m (Veniamín)

  Ancient: Βενιαμίν m (Beniamín)

• Hawaiian: Beniamina
• Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין (he) m (binyamin)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Irish: Biniáimin
• Italian: Beniamino (it)
• Japanese: ベニヤミン (Beniyamin)
• Kazakh: Бунямин (Bunämin)
• Latin: Benjamin, Beniamin
• Malay: Bunyamin
• Maltese: Benjamin m
• Norwegian: Benjamin (no)
• Persian: بنیامین (fa) (benyâmin)
• Polish: Beniamin (pl) m
• Portuguese: Benjamim (pt) m
• Russian: Вениами́н (ru) m (Veniamín)
• Spanish: Benjamín (es) m
• Swedish: Benjamin (sv)
• Turkish: Bünyamin
• Ukrainian: Веніями́н m (Venijamýn)

male given name

• Arabic: بِنْيَامِين m (binyāmīn), بَنْيَامِين m (banyāmīn)
• Armenian: Բենիամին (Beniamin)
• Catalan: Benjamí m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 本傑明／本杰明 (zh) (Běnjiémíng), 本杰明 (zh) (Běnjiémíng)

• Czech: Benjamín m
• Danish: Benjamin
• Esperanto: Benjameno
• French: Benjamin (fr) m
• Galician: Benxamín (gl) m
• German: Benjamin (de) m
• Greek: Βενιαμίν (el) (Veniamín)
• Hawaiian: Peniʻamina
• Hungarian: Benjámin (hu)
• Italian: Beniamino (it) m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: ベンジャミン (Benjamin)
• Latin: Benjamin, Beniamin
• Malay: Bunyamin
• Maltese: Benjaminu m
• Norman: Benjamîn m
• Norwegian: Benjamin (no)
• Persian: بنجامین (fa) (benjâmin), بنیامین (fa) (benyâmin)
• Polish: Beniamin (pl) m
• Portuguese: Benjamim (pt) m
• Romanian: Benjamin
• Russian: Вениами́н (ru) m (Veniamín), Бе́нджамин (ru) m (Bɛ́ndžamin)
• Spanish: Benjamín (es) m
• Swedish: Benjamin (sv)
• Turkish: Bünyamin
• Yiddish: בנימין m (binyomen)

Noun

Benjamin (plural Benjamins)

1. (US, slang) A US$100 bill, which bears a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Often used in the plural form to indicate large sums of money.
   • 2006 April 12, Dean Ornish, "Health Care: It's All About the Benjamins", in Newsweek [1]
   • 2002, All About the Benjamins [2]
   • 2007, Martha Baer, "It's Not All About The Benjamins", in Tango Magazine [3]

Alternative forms

• benjamin

Synonyms

• Franklin

See also

• Robert Borden

Related terms

• pet forms: Ben, Benji, Benjy, Benny

Further reading

• Wikipedia disambiguation page for Benjamin

---

Cebuano

Etymology

From English Benjamin, from Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right [hand]”). Also from Spanish Benjamín.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ben‧ja‧min

Proper noun

Benjamin

1. a male given name from English
2. (biblical) Benjamin
3. the tribe of Benjamin

---

Danish

Proper noun

Benjamin

1. Benjamin (Biblical figure)
2. a male given name.

Related terms

• Benny

---

Faroese

Etymology

From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right [hand]”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛn.ja.ˌmin/

Proper noun

Benjamin m

1. (biblical) Benjamin
2. a male given name.

Usage notes

• son of Benjamin: Benjaminsson
• daughter of Benjamin: Benjaminsdóttir

Declension

	Singular
	Indefinite
Nominative	Benjamin
Accusative	Benjamin
Dative	Benjamini
Genitive	Benjamins

---

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbenjɑmin/, [ˈbe̞njɑ̝min]
• Rhymes: -enjɑmin
• Syllabification^(key): Ben‧ja‧min

Proper noun

Benjamin

1. a male given name.
   • 1923 Frans Hjalmar Nortamo, Helmikoristeinen kirjanmerkki, WSOY (1947), page 33:

     Rovasti oli sitä paitsi arvellut olevan parasta, että Penua tästä lähtien ruvettaisiin kutsumaan Kustaaksi, koska nimi Benjamin ja sen lyhennys Penu varmasti antaisi hänen koulutovereilleen aihetta pilan tekoon ja härnäilemiseen.

     Furthermore, the provost had said that it would be best that Penu should be called Kustaa from this onwards, because the name Benjamin and its shorter form Penu would certainly give his schoolmates a cause to bantering and bullying.

2. Benjamin (Biblical figure)
   • 1933 Pyhä Raamattu 1 Moos.35:18:

     Mutta kun hänen henkensä oli lähtemäisillään, sillä hänen oli kuoltava, antoi hän hänelle nimen Benoni, mutta hänen isänsä antoi hänelle nimen Benjamin.

     And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. (KJV Genesis 35:18)}}

Declension

Inflection of Benjamin (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		Benjamin	Benjaminit
genitive		Benjaminin	Benjaminien
partitive		Benjaminia	Benjamineja
illative		Benjaminiin	Benjamineihin
		singular	plural
nominative		Benjamin	Benjaminit
accusative	nom.	Benjamin	Benjaminit
	gen.	Benjaminin
genitive		Benjaminin	Benjaminien
partitive		Benjaminia	Benjamineja
inessive		Benjaminissa	Benjamineissa
elative		Benjaminista	Benjamineista
illative		Benjaminiin	Benjamineihin
adessive		Benjaminilla	Benjamineilla
ablative		Benjaminilta	Benjamineilta
allative		Benjaminille	Benjamineille
essive		Benjaminina	Benjamineina
translative		Benjaminiksi	Benjamineiksi
abessive		Benjaminitta	Benjamineitta
instructive		—	Benjaminein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Benjamin (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Benjaminini Benjaminini accusative nom. Benjaminini Benjaminini gen. Benjaminini genitive Benjaminini Benjaminieni partitive Benjaminiani Benjaminejani inessive Benjaminissani Benjamineissani elative Benjaministani Benjamineistani illative Benjaminiini Benjamineihini adessive Benjaminillani Benjamineillani ablative Benjaminiltani Benjamineiltani allative Benjaminilleni Benjamineilleni essive Benjamininani Benjamineinani translative Benjaminikseni Benjamineikseni abessive Benjaminittani Benjamineittani instructive — — comitative — Benjamineineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Benjaminisi Benjaminisi accusative nom. Benjaminisi Benjaminisi gen. Benjaminisi genitive Benjaminisi Benjaminiesi partitive Benjaminiasi Benjaminejasi inessive Benjaminissasi Benjamineissasi elative Benjaministasi Benjamineistasi illative Benjaminiisi Benjamineihisi adessive Benjaminillasi Benjamineillasi ablative Benjaminiltasi Benjamineiltasi allative Benjaminillesi Benjamineillesi essive Benjamininasi Benjamineinasi translative Benjaminiksesi Benjamineiksesi abessive Benjaminittasi Benjamineittasi instructive — — comitative — Benjamineinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Benjaminimme Benjaminimme accusative nom. Benjaminimme Benjaminimme gen. Benjaminimme genitive Benjaminimme Benjaminiemme partitive Benjaminiamme Benjaminejamme inessive Benjaminissamme Benjamineissamme elative Benjaministamme Benjamineistamme illative Benjaminiimme Benjamineihimme adessive Benjaminillamme Benjamineillamme ablative Benjaminiltamme Benjamineiltamme allative Benjaminillemme Benjamineillemme essive Benjamininamme Benjamineinamme translative Benjaminiksemme Benjamineiksemme abessive Benjaminittamme Benjamineittamme instructive — — comitative — Benjamineinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Benjamininne Benjamininne accusative nom. Benjamininne Benjamininne gen. Benjamininne genitive Benjamininne Benjaminienne partitive Benjaminianne Benjaminejanne inessive Benjaminissanne Benjamineissanne elative Benjaministanne Benjamineistanne illative Benjaminiinne Benjamineihinne adessive Benjaminillanne Benjamineillanne ablative Benjaminiltanne Benjamineiltanne allative Benjaminillenne Benjamineillenne essive Benjamininanne Benjamineinanne translative Benjaminiksenne Benjamineiksenne abessive Benjaminittanne Benjamineittanne instructive — — comitative — Benjamineinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative Benjamininsa Benjamininsa accusative nom. Benjamininsa Benjamininsa gen. Benjamininsa genitive Benjamininsa Benjaminiensa partitive Benjaminiaan Benjaminiansa Benjaminejaan Benjaminejansa inessive Benjaminissaan Benjaminissansa Benjamineissaan Benjamineissansa elative Benjaministaan Benjaministansa Benjamineistaan Benjamineistansa illative Benjaminiinsa Benjamineihinsa adessive Benjaminillaan Benjaminillansa Benjamineillaan Benjamineillansa ablative Benjaminiltaan Benjaminiltansa Benjamineiltaan Benjamineiltansa allative Benjaminilleen Benjaminillensa Benjamineilleen Benjamineillensa essive Benjamininaan Benjamininansa Benjamineinaan Benjamineinansa translative Benjaminikseen Benjaminiksensa Benjamineikseen Benjamineiksensa abessive Benjaminittaan Benjaminittansa Benjamineittaan Benjamineittansa instructive — — comitative — Benjamineineen Benjamineinensa

Related terms

• (given names) Benjam, Benjami, Jami
• (surnames) Pennanen

Proper noun

Benjamin

1. genitive singular of Benjam

---

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛ̃.ʒa.mɛ̃/

Proper noun

Benjamin ?

1. Benjamin (Biblical figure)
2. a male given name.

---

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛnjaˌmiːn/, /-ˌmɪn/

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Ben‧ja‧min

Proper noun

Benjamin m (genitive Benjamins)

1. Benjamin (Biblical figure)
2. a male given name

Related terms

• Ben
• Benni

---

Latin

Alternative forms

• Beniamin

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈben.i̯a.min/, [ˈbɛni̯ämɪn]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈben.ja.min/, [ˈbɛnjämin]

Proper noun

Benjamin m (indeclinable)

1. (Late Latin) Benjamin (the youngest son of the Hebrew patriarch Jacob)

Related terms

• Benjamītae

Descendants

• English: Benjamin
• Faroese: Benjamin

References

• “Benjămin”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Benjamin in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette, page 214/3.

---

Manx

Proper noun

Benjamin m

1. a male given name.

Mutation

Manx mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
Benjamin	Venjamin	Menjamin
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

---

Norwegian

Proper noun

Benjamin

1. Benjamin (Biblical figure)
2. a male given name.

---

Swedish

Proper noun

Benjamin c (genitive Benjamins)

1. Benjamin (Biblical figure)
2. a male given name.

Related terms

• Benny