Hilary
[hil-uh-ree]
- Hilarius, Saint.
- Also Hi·laire [hi-lair; French ee-ler] /hɪ lɛər; French iˈlɛr/. a male or female given name: from a Latin word meaning “cheerful.”
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for hilary
Contemporary Examples
They mention that a former cia agent and someone who used to work for Hilary [sic] Clinton looked at the script.
Exclusive: Sony Emails Say Studio Exec Picked Kim Jong-Un as the Villain of ‘The Interview’William Boot
December 19, 2014
The first was by someone who really should know better, Hilary Clinton.
Cumming was once married to actress Hilary Lyon, and he also had a relationship with actress Saffron Burrows.
Author Hilary Mantel is under fire for writing a story about killing Margaret Thatcher.
I talked with Hilary Levey Friedman, a sociologist and author of Playing to Win: Raising Children in a Competitive Culture.
Historical Examples
"'Twould be like hunting for a pin in a haystack," said the Rev. Hilary Jones.
Howard Pyle's Book of PiratesHoward Pyle
Hilary shook his head vigorously to clear away the flood of recollections.
Slaves of MercuryNat Schachner
Hilary straightened sharply, poked his finger at the midriff of the giant.
Slaves of MercuryNat Schachner
Hilary frowned, then shook his head, and dropped down to his task again.
Slaves of MercuryNat Schachner
Hilary grinned as he slipped the weapon back into his blouse.
Slaves of MercuryNat Schachner
Word Origin and History for hilary
Hilary
masc. proper name, from Late Latin Hilarius, literally "cheerful," from Latin hilaris (see hilarity). The name was more popular in France than in England. The woman's name (Middle English Hillaria) seems to be merged with this from Eulalia, name of the patron saint of Barcelona, a Latinization of Greek eulalos "sweetly speaking." The Hilary sessions of British High Court and universities (1577) are from St. Hilarius, Bishop of Poitiers, obit. C.E. 368, whose feast day is Jan. 13.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper