Wiktionary

Rebecca

See also: Rébecca

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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The Vulgate (Latin) form of biblical Rebekah, from Hebrew רִבְקָה (Rivka, “enchantingly beautiful, captivating, snare”).

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Rebecca (plural Rebeccas)

  1. A female given name originating from the Bible [in turn from Hebrew], in regular use since the Reformation.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 9:10-12:
      And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
    • 1809, Charles and Mary Lamb, Poetry for Children: Choosing a Name:
      They would say, if 'twas Rebecca,
      That she is a little Quaker.
    • 1949, Henry Miller, Sexus (The Rosy Crucifixion), Grove Press, published 1965, →ISBN, page 312:
      "What's her name?" I asked. "Rebecca. Rebecca Valentine." The name Rebecca excited me. I had always wanted to meet a woman called Rebecca—and not Becky. (Rebecca, Ruth, Roxane, Rosalind, Frederika, Ursula, Sheila, Norma, Guinevere, Leonora, Sabina, Malvina, Solange, Deirdre. What wonderful names women had! Like flowers, stars, constellations…)
    • 1997, Robert T. Tauber, Self-fulfilling Prophecy, Greenwood Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 61:
      Our daughter's name, Rebecca, summons up similar visions. Although our family is not Jewish, both names (David and Rebecca) have a Hebrew ancestry which, in the eyes of many beholders ( i.e. teachers ) invokes a vision of a family that values education.

Usage notes

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The spelling Rebecca originates from the Latin Vulgate, which from the 4th century onward was the Bible that was used for centuries in Western Christianity. When the King James Version appeared in 1611, the spelling Rebekah was used in the Old Testament, but the spelling Rebecca was retained in the New Testament.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Noun

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Rebecca (plural Rebeccas)

  1. (historical) One who protested in the Rebecca Riots; a Rebeccaite.
    • 2019, Marsha R. Robinson, Disobedient Histories in Ancient and Modern Times, page 82:
      Colonel George Rice Trevor testified that the Rebeccas attacked poor-houses as well as tollgates.

Danish

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Proper noun

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Rebecca

  1. a female given name, an English style spelling of the Danish Rebekka

Dutch

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin Rebecca, from Hebrew רִבְקָה (rivká).

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Rebecca f

  1. a female given name from Hebrew
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French

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Rebecca f

  1. (biblical) Rebekah (Biblical character)
  2. a female given name, equivalent to English Rebecca

German

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Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Rebecca

  1. a female given name from English [in turn from Biblical Hebrew], variant of Rebekka

Italian

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Etymology

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From Hebrew רִבְקָה (Riḇqāh, “enchantingly beautiful, captivating, snare”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /reˈbek.ka/
  • Rhymes: -ekka
  • Hyphenation: Re‧béc‧ca

Proper noun

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Rebecca f

  1. Rebekah (Biblical character)
  2. a female given name of biblical origin

Anagrams

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Latin

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Etymology

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From Biblical Hebrew רִבְקָה (Rivka)

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Rebecca f sg (genitive Rebeccae); first declension

  1. a female given name from Hebrew

Declension

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First-declension noun, singular only.

Case Singular
Nominative Rebecca
Genitive Rebeccae
Dative Rebeccae
Accusative Rebeccam
Ablative Rebeccā
Vocative Rebecca

Norwegian

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Proper noun

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Rebecca

  1. a female given name, an English style spelling of Rebekka

Swedish

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Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Rebecca c (genitive Rebeccas)

  1. a female given name, an English style spelling of Rebecka
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