Ernie

American

[ur-nee] / ˈɜr ni /

noun

a male given name, form of Ernest.
a female given name, form of Ernestine.

Ernie British

/ ˈɜːnɪ /

noun

(in Britain) a machine that randomly selects winning numbers of Premium Bonds

"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 Ernie

C20: acronym of E lectronic R andom N umber I ndicator E quipment

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.

Ernie: I have been watching you before games and seeing your lips moving and I thought you were praying.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

That move inspired another return to TV with the series “Kendra Sells Hollywood,” which documented her new gig as a member of the Ernie Carswell & Associates team.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

It’s blitzes on the frozen tundra sure, but, it’s also Ernie Banks playing two on a beautiful July day.

From Salon • Mar. 18, 2026

Baidu has gone all-in on artificial intelligence in recent years, launching its Ernie large-language model and plowing money into its cloud business.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

A small sign with MARLON’S painted on it hung from a nail against a white door, which Tess now pushed open and walked through, Ernie and Genie at her heels.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023