bernard
UK /ˈbɜːnəd/ · US /bəɹˈnɑɹd/ noun, proper noun
Forms bernards Barnard
- noun Shortened form of Saint Bernard (the dog).
- proper noun A male given name from the Germanic languages.
- proper noun A surname originating as a patronymic.
Synonyms
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English Bernard, from Old French Bernard, Bernart, from Medieval Latin Bernardus, probably from Frankish *Bernhard (cognate with Old High German Bernhart, Old English Beornheard), from Proto-Germanic *Bernuharduz, equivalent to bear + -ard. Popularized by medieval European saints.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “bernard”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details