russell
russell Lexical Profile
• noun
(Usually capitalized) A common English masculine given name and surname of Norman origin, originally denoting someone with red hair.
"She introduced her new colleague, Russell, to the rest of the research team."
British A strong worsted or woolen cloth with a ribbed surface, historically used for upholstery, clothing, and academic gowns.
"The traditional university robe was fashioned from a heavy black russell."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the name of a person or place, it is capitalized as 'Russell'. The lowercase form historically refers to a type of ribbed woolen fabric.
• Rhymes for russell
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
As a name, it is derived from the Anglo-Norman 'Rousel', a diminutive of 'rous' (meaning red or red-haired). As a fabric, it is possibly named after the city of Lille in France (Flemish 'Rijssel') or Norwich in England.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.