Priscilla

P3R1I1S1C3I1L1L1A1
/pɹɪˈsɪlə/

proper noun

A female given name from Latin of biblical origin.

“And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.”

OriginLatin prīscus →
Less commonScrabble 13
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A female given name from Latin of biblical origin.

    Letters written by Alden, and full of the name of Priscilla, / Full of the name and the fame of the Puritan maiden Priscilla!

    1858, Henry Wadswoth Longfellow, The Courtship of Miles Standish
    1 more example

    'Priscilla,' she said, --- 'The same name I've had for twenty years!' She smiled cynically. 'And, before you ask why, I was stoned when I chose it, so any thoughts of Cill were in my subconscious. I used to think it was classier than Louise or Daisy... probably because the Trevelyans were such snobs.'

    2003, Minette Walters, Disordered Minds, Macmillan., →ISBN, page 354
  2. An early Christian, mentioned in the Bible and also known as Prisca.

    And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

Origin

  1. Latinprīscus“former, ancient, old-fashioned”
  2. EnglishPriscilla

Feminine diminutive form of a Roman cognomen Prīscus, from Latin prīscus (“former, ancient, old-fashioned”). Compare typologically Seneca (< Latin Seneca < senex).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch Priscilla, Priscilla
  • Priscillabiblical woman
  • Priscillafemale given name
French Priscille
  • Priscillebiblical woman
German Priszilla, Priscilla
  • Priszillabiblical woman
  • Priscillafemale given name
Greek Πρίσκιλλα
  • Πρίσκιλλα (Prískilla)biblical woman
Hawaiian Perisekila, Pelekila
  • Perisekilabiblical woman
  • Pelekilafemale given name
Hindi प्रिस्किल्ला
  • प्रिस्किल्ला (priskillā)female given name
Māori Pirihira, Pirihira
  • Pirihirabiblical woman
  • Pirihirafemale given name
Polish Pryscylla, Pryscylla
  • Pryscyllabiblical woman
  • Pryscyllafemale given name
Portuguese Priscila, Priscila
  • Priscilabiblical woman
  • Priscilafemale given name
Russian Приски́лла, Присци́лла
  • Приски́лла (Priskílla)biblical woman
  • Присци́лла (Priscílla)biblical woman
  • Присци́лла (Priscílla)female given name
Spanish Priscila
  • Priscilafemale given name

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with Priscilla

villamanilaAnguillagorillaGodzillachinchillaflotillamanillaSillascintillaScyllaDrusillamaxillacedillapapillaaxillahydrillacamarillabarillamantillaperillaancillascillagranadilla
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

Priscilla. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Priscilla

MLA

“Priscilla.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Priscilla. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Priscilla,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Priscilla.

Source: Priscilla on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.