Xavier

American

[zey-vee-er, zav-ee-, zey-vyer] / ˈzeɪ vi ər, ˈzæv i-, ˈzeɪ vyər /

noun

Saint Francis Francisco Javierthe Apostle of the Indies, 1506–52, Spanish Jesuit missionary, especially in India and Japan.
a male given name: from an Arabic word meaning “bright.”

Xavier British

/ xaˈβjɛr, ˈzeɪvɪə, ˈzæv- /

noun

Saint Francis, known as the Apostle of the Indies. 1506–52, Spanish missionary, who was a founding member of the Jesuit society (1534) and later preached in Goa, Ceylon, the East Indies, and Japan. Feast day: Dec 3

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Xaverian

adjective

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.

The latest polls show a three-way split, with former president Joe Biden's health secretary Xavier Becerra in the lead.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

“Furious at the coverage,” Aaron narrates the story, “Diahann asked me, ‘Why don’t they print the lovely things I have to say about Xavier?’

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Among likely California voters, 25% support Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and former Biden Cabinet secretary, according to the survey by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies that was co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

The latest polls show Hilton is leading along with the clean-shaven Democrat Xavier Becerra, suggesting voters in November will have a choice between scruff and no scruff.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

Xavier Adams could not have imagined his Saturday was going to turn in this direction.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023