chris
chris Lexical Profile
• noun
A common unisex given name (capitalized as Chris), usually serving as a short form of Christopher, Christian, Christina, or Christine.
"Chris was elected captain of the university debate team for the upcoming academic year."
An alternative spelling of kris, a traditional Indonesian and Malay dagger characterized by a distinctive wavy or asymmetrical double-edged blade.
"The ethnographic museum displayed an intricately forged ceremonial chris with a carved ivory hilt."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized as 'Chris', it is a common unisex given name; in lowercase, 'chris' is an older variant spelling of 'kris', an Indonesian and Malay wavy-bladed dagger.
• Rhymes for chris
Word Origin & Etymology
As a common noun for a dagger, borrowed from Malay and Javanese 'keris'. As a given name, shortened from Christopher or Christina, ultimately from Ancient Greek 'Khristophoros' ('Christ-bearer') or 'Khristianos' ('Christian').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.