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Christopher
Christopher ♂ From the Greek name Khristophoros, from Khristos ‘Christ’ + pherein ‘to bear’. This was popular among early Christians, conscious of the fact that they were metaphorically bearing Christ in their hearts. A later, over-literal interpretation of the name gave rise to the legend of a saint who actually bore the Christ-child over a stream; he is regarded as the patron of travellers. In England the name was uncommon in the Middle Ages, but became very popular in the 16th century, especially in parts of the North.
Variant: Kristopher. Short form: Chris. Pet forms: Kit; Christie, Christy (mainly Scottish and Irish). Cognates: Irish: Críostóir. German: Christoph. Dutch: Christofoor, Kristofoor. Scandinavian: Kristoffer. French: Christophe. Spanish: Cristóbal. Catalan: Cristòfol. Portuguese: Cristovão. Italian: Cristoforo. Polish: Krzysztof. Czech: Kryštof. Bulgarian: Hristo. Finnish: Risto. Hungarian: Kristóf. Latvian: Kristaps. |
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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Christopher." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Christopher." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Christopher.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Christopher." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Christopher.html |
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Christopher
Christopher male forename.
St Christopher a legendary 3rd-century Christian martyr, adopted as the patron saint of travellers, since it is said that he once carried Christ in the form of a child across a river; he was traditionally a giant, and is often shown as such in art, carrying the Christ-child on his shoulder. He is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His image was often placed in wall-paintings on the north wall of churches opposite the porch so that he would be seen by those who entered; there was a tradition that anyone seeing an image of the saint would not die that day, and he was invoked against water, tempest, plague, and sudden death. His feast day is 25 July. Christopher Robin name of the little boy in A. A. Milne's stories about the bear Winnie-the-Pooh and other toys, shown in the illustrations with long hair and wearing a smock; the original Christopher Robin was Milne's son. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Christopher." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Christopher." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Christopher.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Christopher." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Christopher.html |
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Saint Christopher
Saint Christopher [Gr.,=Christ bearer], 3d cent.?, martyr of Asia Minor. His characteristic legend is that one day when he was carrying a little child over a river, he felt the child's weight almost too great to bear. The child was Jesus, carrying the world in his hands. Hence St. Christopher is usually represented as a giant, with the Holy Child on his shoulder; he leans on a staff. He is the patron of travelers, hence the practice of wearing his medal on journeys. His name was dropped from the liturgical calendar in 1969. Feast: July 25. |
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"Saint Christopher." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Saint Christopher." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Christophr.html "Saint Christopher." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Christophr.html |
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Christopher, Saint
Christopher, Saint Patron saint of ferrymen and travellers. His feast day, 25 July, was omitted from the Roman Catholic calendar of 1969 and is no longer officially recognized.
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"Christopher, Saint." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Christopher, Saint." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ChristopherSaint.html "Christopher, Saint." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ChristopherSaint.html |
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Christopher
Christopher
•chaffer, gaffer, Jaffa, kafir, Staffa
•alfalfa, alpha, Balfour, Wadi Halfa
•camphor, chamfer
•Luftwaffe
•laugher, staffer
•heifer, zephyr
•chafer, trefa, wafer
•cockchafer
•feoffor, reefer
•differ, sniffer
•pilfer • titfer • umbellifer • Jennifer
•conifer • apocrypha • thurifer
•crucifer, Lucifer
•Potiphar • aquifer
•cipher, encipher, fifer, Haifa, knifer, lifer
•coffer, cougher, Offa, offer, proffer, quaffer, scoffer
•golfer • phosphor • Forfar • Altdorfer
•chauffeur, gofer, goffer, gopher, loafer, Nuku'alofa, Ophir, shofar, sofa
•Fraunhofer
•hoofer, loofah, opera buffa, roofer, spoofer, tufa, woofer
•waterproofer
•bluffer, buffer, duffer, puffer, snuffer, suffer
•sulphur (US sulfur) • telegrapher
•calligrapher, serigrapher
•autobiographer, bibliographer, biographer, cartographer, choreographer, cinematographer, crystallographer, geographer, Hagiographa, hagiographer, iconographer, lexicographer, lithographer, oceanographer, palaeographer (US paleographer), photographer, pornographer, radiographer, stenographer, topographer, typographer
•philosopher, theosopher
•metaphor • Christopher • surfer
•Bonhoeffer • windsurfer
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Cite this article
"Christopher." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Christopher." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Christopher.html "Christopher." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Christopher.html |
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