Tim

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A personal name commonly given to males, often short for longer forms like Timothy ; a nickname or informal version of such names ; used to refer to individuals bearing this name in various contexts
2. Used as a familiar or diminutive male given name, typically derived from Timothy ; can serve as an affectionate form ; identifies people with this particular forename
3. A male first name, generally a shortened version of Timothy ; utilized either formally or as an everyday nickname ; denotes someone addressed or recognized by this moniker

Etymology: Tim is a short form of Timothy, and Timothy is one of the few common English given names with a clear Greek ancestry: it comes from "Timotheos," meaning "honouring God" or "one who honours God," built from "timē" (honour) and "theos" (god). The name was borne by a companion of St Paul, to whom two New Testament letters are addressed, which helped keep it in circulation through the Middle Ages. Timothy reached English through Latin and then Old French, and it was common in England well before the Norman period, though it faded for a time before returning in the 16th and 17th centuries. "Tim" itself is a diminutive, one of the many clipped forms, like "Bill" from William or "Dick" from Richard, that English speakers have long used for familiar address.