Samuel
Americannoun
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a judge and prophet of Israel. 1 Samuel 1–3; 8–15.
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either of two books of the Bible bearing his name. 1 Sam., 2 Sam.
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a male given name.
noun
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a Hebrew prophet, seer, and judge, who anointed the first two kings of the Israelites (I Samuel 1–3; 8–15)
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either of the two books named after him, I and II Samuel
Etymology
Origin of Samuel
From Late Latin Samuhel, from Greek Samouḗl, from Hebrew Shĕmūʾēl “Name of El (God),” or “His name is El (God)”
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.
As would “Little Bear Ridge Road,” Samuel D. Hunter’s savagely unsentimental study of an estranged aunt and nephew picking through the wreckage of their family history.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
“We didn’t see this coming,” said Samuel Tombs, chief U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Guy de la Bédoyère’s “The Confessions of Samuel Pepys” is effectively a supplement to the superlative complete edition made by Robert Latham and William Matthews and published in 11 volumes between 1970 and 1983.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Lieutenant Samuel Frost, an Officer Commanding, said Freeman would be "sorely missed, rightfully commemorated, and never forgotten".
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
Samuel Reshevsky, his American archrival, had tied for first with Viktor Korchnoi.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
