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Added 9 October 2026

simon

/ˈsaɪmən/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about simon at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

One of the twelve Apostles (first century).
United States singer and songwriter (born in 1942).
United States playwright noted for light comedies (born in 1927).

Origin

Uncertain. One theory suggests derivation from a joke based on the bible verse Acts 9:43, rendered as “Peter lodged with Simon a tanner”, a pun on the meanings of lodge (“stay in a place; put away money”). Partridge suggests that this not possible given the dates, however, and suggests instead derivation from some unknown person’s name. Attested from the late 17th century, with synonymous tanner attested from the 18th. Compare also simony, from a different biblical figure, Simon Magnus. The “US dollar” sense derives from the earlier “sixpence”, perhaps influenced by the $ symbol.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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