Priscilla

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A feminine first name of Latin origin, used in English-speaking countries for centuries and borne by many notable women
2. A female personal name derived from a Roman family name, meaning ancient or venerable in its original sense
3. A woman's given name of Latin origin that has been popular in English-speaking countries since the Middle Ages

Etymology: Priscilla is a feminine diminutive of Prisca, itself the feminine form of the Roman cognomen Priscus. That cognomen came from Latin "prisacus" in the sense "former, ancient, old-fashioned," so a Roman bearing it was, in effect, being labelled as the old-school type. The name was a common one among Romans, and the diminutive ending gives it a gentler, more affectionate sound, much as "Jennie" softens "Jane." The name's Christian history gives it its wider reach. Priscilla appears in the New Testament as a companion of Paul, usually named alongside her husband Aquila, and the name spread through the early church with that association. Its use in English-speaking countries grew from there.