Percival
Americannoun
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Arthurian Legend. Also Percivale a knight of King Arthur's court who sought the Holy Grail: comparable to Parzival or Parsifal in Teutonic legend.
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a male given name.
noun
Etymology
Origin of Percival
From Old French Perceval, of disputed origin; perhaps literally “pierce the valley” ( see pierce ( def. ), vale ( def. )) or “through this valley” (from par “through” + cel “this” + val “valley”; see per ( def. )); alternatively, an alteration of Welsh Peredur
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Tuesday its students disrupted, heckled and tried to shout down a speech by Homeland Security general counsel James Percival.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
Addressing Garner in court, McColl's granddaughter Kelly Percival, 33, said: "Your dog basically ate my grandad, but you and your family don't care."
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Percival, in turn, has been instrumental in raising the capital for a new community hub, which was built in 2023.
From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026
In a response attached to the letter, DHS general counsel James Percival disputed the allegations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
Penelope could read the names off the engraved brass plaques mounted below each painting: Admiral Percival Racine Ashton.
From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
