Saxon

[ sak-suhn ]

noun

1. a member of a Germanic people in ancient times dwelling near the mouth of the Elbe, a portion of whom invaded and occupied parts of Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries.
2. the Old English dialects of the regions settled by the Saxons.
3. a native or inhabitant of Saxony in modern Germany.
4. an English person; Britisher.
5. an Anglo-Saxon.
6. (not in scholarly use) the Old English language.
7. a member of the royal house of Germany that ruled from 919 to 1024.

adjective

1. of or relating to the early Saxons or their language.
2. of or relating to Saxony in modern Germany.
3. English ( defs 1, 2 ).

Saxon

/ ˈsæksən /

noun

1. a member of a West Germanic people who in Roman times spread from Schleswig across NW Germany to the Rhine. Saxons raided and settled parts of S Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries ad. In Germany they established a duchy and other dominions, which changed and shifted through the centuries, usually retaining the name Saxony
2. a native or inhabitant of Saxony
3. 1. the Low German dialect of Saxony
   2. any of the West Germanic dialects spoken by the ancient Saxons or their descendants

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the ancient Saxons, the Anglo-Saxons, or their descendants
2. of, relating to, or characteristic of Saxony, its inhabitants, or their Low German dialect

Other Words From

• non-Saxon noun adjective
• pre-Saxon adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Saxon¹

1250–1300; Middle English, probably < Late Latin Saxō, Saxonēs (plural) < Germanic; replacing Old English Seaxan (plural)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Saxon¹

C13 (replacing Old English Seaxe ): via Old French from Late Latin Saxon-, Saxo, from Greek; of Germanic origin and perhaps related to the name of a knife used by the Saxons; compare saw ¹

Example Sentences

The Saxon Separatists was formed in 2020 and has between 15 to 20 members, according to German prosecutors.

From BBC

Neolithic tools, Bronze Age barrows, an Iron Age settlement, a Roman villa and Saxon hamlet have all been discovered at Stanwick Lakes, making it one of the largest archaeological sites ever excavated in the UK.

From BBC

Chu said Saxon was initially resistant to the demand for separate ethnic studies programs, questioning why the material could not be woven into existing history, sociology and other courses.

From Los Angeles Times

Small, fringe far-right groups - like the Free Saxons, The Third Way and The Homeland - have a very varied number of online followers.

From BBC

Bowler and Saxon have produced films together and were the subject of an investigation in The Times in November over allegations of fraud in lawsuits and proceedings that have dogged their productions.

From Los Angeles Times