stewart
stewart Lexical Profile
• noun
Scottish A Scottish surname of historical significance, most notably referring to the royal House of Stewart (also spelled Stuart), which ruled Scotland from 1371 to 1714 and England and Ireland from 1603 to 1714.
"Mary, Queen of Scots, remains one of the most famous and tragic monarchs of the House of Stewart."
New Zealand A geographical name applied to several locations, most notably Stewart Island, the third-largest island of New Zealand located south of the South Island across Foveaux Strait.
"We took a ferry across the strait to explore the rugged wilderness and native bird sanctuaries of Stewart Island."
An archaic or variant spelling of 'steward', referring to an official appointed to supervise the management of a large estate, household, or organization.
"In older historical texts, the lord's lands and revenues were carefully managed by a trusted stewart."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a historical and family name, 'Stewart' is frequently interchangeable with the French-influenced spelling 'Stuart', which was famously adopted by Mary, Queen of Scots.
• Rhymes for stewart
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Old English 'stigweard', meaning 'warden of the hall' or 'estate manager' (from 'stig' meaning hall and 'weard' meaning guard). It later became the occupational surname for the High Stewards of Scotland, eventually giving rise to the royal House of Stewart.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.