Alexa

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A virtual assistant powered by artificial intelligence that responds to voice commands and performs tasks for users
2. A voice-activated software designed to assist users with various activities such as controlling smart home devices and providing information
3. An AI-driven service that interprets spoken language to execute commands, answer questions, and enhance user interaction with technology

Etymology: The name "Alexa" was a feminine form of "Alex," itself a short form of "Alexander" or "Alexandra." Its wider fame came from a deliberate choice: Amazon's engineers named their voice assistant after the ancient library of Alexandria, but they wanted a name that sounded like a woman's, so the wake word was built from a name already familiar to many people as a girl's given name. The product's name borrowed the familiar, friendly sound of a personal name rather than the technical vocabulary of computing. That choice is why the word now functions as a common noun for any voice assistant, and why people will say "Alexa" to a speaker in a room as readily as they would call out to a friend.

Synonyms: voice assistant, virtual assistant, AI assistant, smart assistant, digital assistant