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Eric

1 American  
[er-ik] / ˈɛr ɪk /

noun

  1. Eric the Red.

  2. a male given name: ultimately from Germanic words meaning “one” and “ruler.”

ERIC 2 American  
[er-ik] / ˈɛr ɪk /

abbreviation

  1. Education Resources Information Center: a database of articles and reports on education-related topics.

eric British  
/ ˈɛrɪk /

noun

  1. (in old Irish law) a fine paid by a murderer to the family of his victim Compare wergild

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of eric

C16: from Irish eiric

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.

About this time Eric Mervyn Lindsay, a scientist from Portadown who knew Öpik because the latter had examined his PhD while at Harvard, became aware of his predicament.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

That’s well above the 25 recorded in all of 2025, according to Dr. Eric Sergienko, chief of the state Department of Public Health’s communicable disease control division.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Eric Clark, chief investment officer at Accuvest Global Advisors, says now Netflix can focus on delivering what shareholders care most about.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

Eric joined the Journal from Wired, where he was a contributing science writer.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2025

“Hold hands? No way,” said Eric LoBianco, repeating what he said every prayer time.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott

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.