Lysander

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A Spartan naval commander and military general of the late fifth century BC who led Sparta to victory over Athens ; a masculine first name of Greek origin borne by several notable people
2. The Spartan admiral and general of the Peloponnesian War era who defeated Athens at the battle of Aegospotami ; a masculine given name derived from Greek and used in English-speaking countries
3. A historical Spartan military leader famed for his naval campaigns against Athens ; a male personal name of ancient Greek origin that remains in use today

Etymology: Lysander was the name of a Spartan general who ended Athens' power in the Peloponnesian War, and the name passed into English through its Ancient Greek form, "Lŭsandros," meaning roughly "liberator of men," from "lyein" (to loosen, free) and "anēr" (man). The name is a compound, so the word is simply a personal name built from two Greek elements rather than a term that changed meaning over time. Its most famous English appearance is in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," where Lysander is one of the young Athenian lovers. Because the play gave the name a lasting literary life, many English speakers meet it first as a character rather than as a historical figure, and it has since been used as a given name in its own right.