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William

American  
[wil-yuhm] / ˈwɪl jəm /

noun

  1. Prince William Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge, born 1982, heir apparent to the throne of the United Kingdom (son of Charles III).

  2. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter W.

  3. a male given name: from Germanic words meaning “will” and “helmet.”


William British  
/ ˈwɪljəm /

noun

  1. known as William the Lion. ?1143–1214, king of Scotland (1165–1214)

  2. Prince. born 1982, Duke of Cambridge, first son of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. In 2011 he married Kate Middleton (born 1982); their son, Prince George, was born in 2013

"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

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.

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William even feels inspired to follow in his brother’s footsteps when his own big day comes.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 12, 2026

Pope Alexander II wrote the letter after William had taken the English throne.

From Science Daily Aug. 11, 2026

The British producer, whose real name was William Wainwright, helped reinvigorate Madonna's career in 1998 with Ray of Light, an album that blended electronic dance music and ambient techno with pop and trip-hop.

From BBC Aug. 8, 2026

William Orbit, the English musician and producer best known for his work with Madonna on her beloved 1998 album “Ray of Light,” died on July 23.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 7, 2026

She glances at Basil, then back at William.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

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