phoebe
[fee-bee]
- any of several small American flycatchers of the genus Sayornis, especially S. phoebe, of eastern North America.
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Origin of phoebe
Phoebe
[fee-bee]
- Classical Mythology. a Titan, daughter of Uranus and Gaea and mother of Leto, later identified with Artemis and with the Roman goddess Diana.
- Astronomy. one of the moons of Saturn.
- Literary. the moon personified.
- a female given name.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for phoebe
Contemporary Examples
So when he told me, 'You can come to my show, but you can't come to see Phoebe, and you can't come to see Riccardo, that was odd.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s Balmain Campaign: High Fashion Meets Low CultureAmy Zimmerman
December 23, 2014
Remember when Chandler was sexually attracted to sharks and Phoebe raised a litter of baby rats?
Also making Time's list are Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet and Céline's creative director, Phoebe Philo.
Beyonce Covers Time's '100 Most Influential People' Issue; Michelle Obama to Cut Ribbon at Anna Wintour Costume CenterThe Fashion Beast Team
April 24, 2014
There was that innocently ignoble time Phoebe Buffay pretended she was a physician named Dr. Regina Phalange.
In a shocking turn, minimalist Phoebe Philo presented a bold new aesthetic for Céline next spring.
Historical Examples
Her sister Phoebe, heart-broken by her loss, followed soon after.
The Works of Whittier, Volume IV (of VII)John Greenleaf Whittier
Phoebe in her earnestness forgot to keep within the limitations of their dialect.
Good IndianB. M. Bower
Phoebe, looking at her attentively, despaired of getting any nearer the truth from any of them.
Good IndianB. M. Bower
"That my girl," Phoebe explained, stopping the soft pat—pat of her butter-ladle.
Good IndianB. M. Bower
In spite of herself, Phoebe felt a trifle chilled by their lack of enthusiasm.
Good IndianB. M. Bower
phoebe
- any of several greyish-brown North American flycatchers of the genus Sayornis, such as S. phoebe (eastern phoebe)
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Word Origin
C19: imitative of the bird's call
Phoebe1
Phebe
- classical myth a Titaness, who later became identified with Artemis (Diana) as goddess of the moon
- poetic a personification of the moon
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Phoebe2
- the outermost satellite of the planet Saturn. It has retrograde motion and a dark surface
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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 phoebe
n.
small North American flycatcher, pewit, 1700, phebe, so called in imitation of its cry; spelling altered (1839) by influence of the woman's proper name Phoebe.
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Phoebe
fem. proper name, late 14c., originally a name of Artemis as the goddess of the moon, from Latin Phoebe, from Greek phoibos "bright, pure," of unknown origin. The fem. form of Phoebus, an epithet of Apollo as sun-god.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper