English

Proper noun

Paul

1. In the New Testament, Apostle to the Gentiles and author of fourteen epistles.
   • 1611, Bible (KJV), Acts 13:9::

     Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

2. A male given name of biblical origin.
   • 1848 Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son: Chapter 1:

     'He will be christened Paul, my - Mrs Dombey - of course.'

     She feebly echoed, 'Of course,' or rather expressed it by the motion of her lips, and closed her eyes again.

     'His father's name, Mrs Dombey, and his grandfather's! I wish his grandfather were alive this day! There is some inconvenience in the necessity of writing Junior,' said Mr Dombey, making a fictitious autograph on his knee; 'but it is merely of a private and personal complexion. It doesn't enter into the correspondence of the House. Its signature remains the same.'

3. A patronymic surname​.
4. A city in Idaho.

Derived terms

• rob Peter to pay Paul
• Saint Paul
• Pauline

Related terms

• feminine forms: Paula, Paulette, Paulina, Pauline

Translations

Anagrams

• pula, Pula

Danish

Proper noun

Paul

1. A male given name, a variant of the much more popular Poul.

Estonian

Proper noun

Paul

1. A male given name, cognate with the English Paul.

Finnish

Etymology

From the Swedish, German or English Paul. Cognate with the older Finnish Paavo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɑu̯l/

Proper noun

Paul

1. A male given name.
   • 1946 Anni Swan, Pauli on koditon, WSOY (1960), page 21:

     —Sanohan ensin mikä nimesi on?

     —Pauli.

     —Pauli, toisti Anna hitaasti. Minulla oli ennen pieni, Paul niminen veli, lisäsi hän.

Declension

Usage notes

• More common in the vernacular form Pauli.

French

Proper noun

Paul

1. Paul (biblical figure)
2. A male given name.

Related terms

• Jean-Paul
• female given names: Paule, Paulette, Pauline, Marie-Paule

Anagrams

• palu, Pula

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paʊ̯l/

Proper noun

Paul m ‎(genitive Pauls)

1. A male given name, cognate to English Paul.

Related terms

• biblical from: Paulus
• female given names: Paula, Paulina, Pauline

Norwegian

Proper noun

Paul

1. A male given name. Popular variant: Pål. Feminine form: Paula.

Swedish

Proper noun

Paul

1. A male given name, cognate to English Paul.

Related terms

• biblical: Paulus
• female given names: Paula, Paulina

English

Noun

paul ‎(plural pauls)

1. An old Italian silver coin; a paolo.
   • 1836, Mariana Starke, Travels in Europe and in the Island of Sicily (page 569)

     Shoes and boots are, generally speaking, better made at Florence than in any other part of Italy: the usual price charged for the former is eight pauls the pair; and for the latter from thirty to forty pauls.

Etymology 2

Noun

paul ‎(plural pauls)

1. Archaic form of pawl.
   • 1850, The Mechanic's Magazine, Register, Journal and Gazette (page 517)

     As soon as the horse again begins to move, the paul will take into the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, and restore to the fly-wheel its original speed.

Malay

Etymology

From Sundanese.

Alternative forms

• ڤاءول

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [paol]
• Rhymes: -aol, -ol

Adjective

paul ‎(Jawi spelling ڤاءول)

1. blue (blue-colored)

Synonyms

• belau / بلاو
• biru / بيرو
• nila / نيلا

Noun

paul ‎(Jawi spelling ڤاءول)

1. blue (colour)

Portuguese

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *padūlem ‎(a root), from Latin palūdem, accusative of palūs ‎(“swamp”). Compare Italian padule, Romanian pădure.

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /pɐ.ˈuɫ/
• Hyphenation: pa‧ul

Noun

paul m (plural pauis)

1. (geography) swamp

Tok Pisin

Etymology

Probably from English Paul.

Adjective

paul

1. confused