Minerva
Americannoun
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the ancient Roman goddess of wisdom and the arts, identified with the Greek goddess Athena.
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a woman of great wisdom.
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a female given name.
noun
Etymology
Origin of Minerva
First recorded before 1000 Minerva for def. 1; 1780–85 Minerva for def. 2; from Latin Minerva, earlier Menerva, from unattested Meneswā, perhaps meaning “intelligent, wise (woman),” or “woman who measures (the phases of the moon)”
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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.
Like her great-grandfather Shrewlock Holmes, Minerva has something of a cerebral streak.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
When the U.S. put sanctions on Sunne, it also said the company owned a tanker called the Minerva M., a Russian shadow-fleet vessel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
After cutting the ribbon, Hawkins spent time with A-level musicians as well as one of the school's rock bands, Minerva, which performed for him.
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026
Germany's Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin, two-time Grand Prix Final champions and two-time world podium finishers, topped the pairs short program with a score of 77.53 points.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2025
Minerva was dark, round, and tiny like a tree stump.
From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline
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.
