Pamela

See also: pamela

English

Etymology

Invented by Sir Philip Sidney for his pastoral poem The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia (c 1593). Seemingly created from scratch; some imagine an analysis as Ancient Greek πᾶς (pâs, “all”) + μέλι (méli, “honey”) but there is no evidence that this was intended.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpæmələ/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Proper noun

Pamela

1. A female given name originating as a coinage.
   • 1773, Henry Fielding, The History and Adventures of Joseph Andrews, page 259:

     They lived about thirty miles from the Squire; and she told me, that I might be sure to find her out by one circumstance; for that they had a daughter with a very strange name, Pamĕla, or Pamēla; some pronounced it one way, and some the other.

   • 1786, Samuel Richardson, Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, page 416:

     - But, Pamela, did you say? - A queer sort of name! - I've heard of it somewhere! - Is it a Christian or a Pagan name? - Linsey-woolsey - half one, half t'other - like thy girl - Ha, ha, ha.'

Derived terms

• Pam, Pammy, Pammie, Pamela hat

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from English Pamela.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paˈmɛ.la/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛla
• Syllabification: Pa‧me‧la

Proper noun

Pamela f

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Pamela

Declension

Declension of Pamela

	singular	plural
nominative	Pamela	Pamele
genitive	Pameli	Pamel
dative	Pameli	Pamelom
accusative	Pamelę	Pamele
instrumental	Pamelą	Pamelami
locative	Pameli	Pamelach
vocative	Pamelo	Pamele

Further reading

• Pamela in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English Pamela.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paˈmela/ [paˈme.la]
• Rhymes: -ela
• Syllabification: Pa‧me‧la

Proper noun

Pamela f

1. a female given name