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alexanders

[al-ig-zan-derz, -zahn-]
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noun, plural al·ex·an·ders. (used with a singular or plural verb)
  1. a tall plant, Angelica atropurpurea, of the parsley family, having broad clusters of small white flowers.
  2. a related plant, Smyrnium olusatrum, having yellowish flowers.
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Origin of alexanders

probably < French alexandre(s); compare Middle English alisaundre (< OF), Old English alexandre < Medieval Latin (petroselīnum) Alexandrīnum a name for Smyrnium olusatrum, and synonymous with Medieval Latin petroselīnum Macedonicum, apparently through association of Macedonia with Alexander the Great; cf. parsley

alexander

[al-ig-zan-der, -zahn-]
noun (often initial capital letter)
  1. a cocktail made with crème de cacao with gin or brandy (brandy alexander) and sweet cream.
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Origin of alexander

First recorded in 1925–30; probably after the proper name

Alexander

[al-ig-zan-der, -zahn-]
noun
  1. Alexander the Great.
  2. Also Alexandros. Classical Mythology. Homeric name for Paris.
  3. Franz [frants, franz, frahnts] /frænts, frænz, frɑnts/, 1891–1964, U.S. psychoanalyst, born in Hungary.
  4. Grover Cleveland,1887–1950, U.S. baseball player.
  5. Sir Harold R. L. G.Alexander of Tunis, 1891–1969, English field marshal.
  6. Samuel,1859–1938, British philosopher.
  7. William,1726–83, general in the American Revolution.
  8. a male given name: from a Greek word meaning “defender of men.”
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for alexanders

Historical Examples

  • Your Alexanders and Hannibals were nothing, at all to him, sir—Corporals!

    The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

    Tobias Smollett

  • The Alexanders—any of them—were everything he had said they were.

    The Lani People

    J. F. Bone

  • He was one of the Alexanders of his time, but does not appear to have been a great actor.

    The Town

    Leigh Hunt

  • Historical and legendary Cromwells, Alexanders, and Taliesens.

  • Also the name of the horse of Emynedus, Alexanders comrade, in the Alexander.

    The Bruce

    John Barbour

British Dictionary definitions for alexanders

alexanders

noun
  1. a biennial umbelliferous plant, Smyrnium olusatrum, native to S Europe, with dense umbels of yellow-green flowers and black fruits
  2. golden alexanders an umbelliferous plant, Zizia aurea, of North America, having yellow flowers in compound umbels
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Word Origin

Old English, from Medieval Latin alexandrum, probably (through association in folk etymology with Alexander the Great) changed from Latin holus atrum black vegetable

Alexander

noun
  1. Harold (Rupert Leofric George), Earl Alexander of Tunis. 1891–1969, British field marshal in World War II, who organized the retreat from Dunkirk and commanded in North Africa (1943) and Sicily and Italy (1944–45); governor general of Canada (1946–52); British minister of defence (1952–54)
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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

Word Origin and History for alexanders

Alexander

masc. proper name, from Latin, from Greek Alexandros "defender of men," from alexein "to ward off, keep off, turn (something) away, defend, protect" + aner (genitive andros) "man" (see anthropo-). The first element is related to Greek alke "protection, help, strength, power, courage," alkimos "strong;" cognate with Sanskrit raksati "protects," Old English ealgian "to defend." As a kind of cocktail, it is attested from 1930.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper