Josephine

See also: Joséphine

English

Alternative forms

• Jo, Joe

Etymology 1

From French Joséphine, diminutive of Josèphe, feminine form of Joseph. Popularized in English by Josephine Bonaparte, the empress of Napoleonic France.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒəʊ.zə.fiːn/, /ˈd͡ʒəʊ.sə.fiːn/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.sə.fiːn/, /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.zə.fiːn/

Proper noun

Josephine

1. A female given name from French
   • 1868, Louisa May Alcott, chapter 3, in Little Women:

     "I hate my name, too, so sentimental! I wish every one would say Jo instead of Josephine. How did you make the boys stop calling you Dora?”

   • 1998, Steven Herrick, A Place Like This, Univ. of Queensland Press, →ISBN, page 86:

     I'm going to call him Joseph
     or Josephine if it's a girl.
     Why?
     Because it's a strong name,
     Joe, Joseph.

Derived terms

• Josephine County

Translations

feminine form of Joseph

• Albanian: Jozefinë
• Danish: Josefine, Josephine
• Finnish: Josefiina (fi)
• French: Joséphine (fr)
• Galician: Xosefa (gl), Xosefina (gl)
• German: Josefine (de), Josephine
• Icelandic: Jósefína (is) f
• Irish: Seosaimhín
• Italian: Giuseppina (it)
• Norwegian: Josefine (no)
• Polish: Józefina (pl) f
• Portuguese: Josefina (pt) f
• Russian: Жозефи́на (ru) f (Žozɛfína) (cognate), Джо́зефин (ru) f (Džózɛfin) (transliteration)
• Slovak: Jozefína f
• Spanish: Josefa (es), Josefina (es)
• Swedish: Josefin (sv), Josefina (sv), Josefine (sv)

Etymology 2

From Joseph +‎ -ine.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒəʊ.zə.fiːn/, /ˈdʒəʊ.zə.fʌɪn/

Adjective

Josephine (not comparable)

1. Pertaining to Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor.
   • 2013, Simon Winder, Danubia, Picador, published 2014, page 266:

     In the 1780s however these were just a couple of strands in the mayhem of Josephine reform, with decrees streaming out of the Hofburg […] at an astounding rate.

Derived terms

• Josephinism

Danish

Alternative forms

• Josefine

Proper noun

Josephine

1. a female given name of French origin

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Josephine f

1. a female given name

Related terms

• Josefa
• Josefien
• Josepha
• Josephien
• Jozefien

German

Alternative forms

• Josefine

Proper noun

Josephine f (genitive Josephines or Josephine)

1. a female given name from French