Bartholomew

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name
  1. An Apostle, identified with Nathanael. (biblical character)
  2. A male given name from Aramaic of biblical origin.
  3. A surname.

Pronunciation

/bɑːˈθɒləmjuː/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Bartholomew.wav /ˈbɑːtəlmi/ /bɑɹˈθɑləmju/ /bɑɹˈtɑləmi/

Word forms

Bartholomew Bartholomews

Etymology

From Latin Bartholomaeus, from Ancient Greek Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaîos), from Aramaic בר תלמי (bar tolmai, “son of Talmai; son of Ptolemy”), from בר (bar, “son”) and תלמי (tolmai, “Talmai; Ptolemy”). It has long been unclear whether the Apostle's father was named after the biblical Talmai, king of Geshur, or one of the Greek Ptolemies, as the two originally unrelated names were conflated in Jewish Aramaic. The name's pronunciation was changed to match the spelling; contrast French Barthélemy from the same source.

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