Daniel

American  

[dan-yuhl] / ˈdæn yəl /

noun

1. Bible.

   1. a prophet living in Babylon during the Captivity.

   2. the book of the Bible bearing his name. Dan.

2. Samuel, 1562–1619, English poet and historian: poet laureate 1599–1619.

3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “the Lord is my judge.”

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Daniel ¹ British  

/ ˈdænjəl /

noun

1. Old Testament

   1. a youth who was taken into the household of Nebuchadnezzar, received guidance and apocalyptic visions from God, and was given divine protection when thrown into the lions' den

   2. the book that recounts these experiences and visions (in full The Book of the Prophet Daniel )

2. (often preceded by a) a wise upright person

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Daniel ² British  

/ ˈdænjəl /

noun

1. Paul ( Wilson ). born 1958, English conductor; musical director of the English National Opera (1997–2005)

2. Samuel. ?1562–1619, English poet and writer: author of the sonnet sequence Delia (1592)

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Etymology

Origin of Daniel

sense 2: referring to Daniel in the Apocryphal Book of Susanna

Example Sentences

Considering the possible Russian and Chinese vetos, the text "faces tall odds to make it through the Security Council," Daniel Forti, an analyst at International Crisis Group, told AFP.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Derek was also one of the only people, aside from my own team, who backed me going into both the Joseph Parker and Daniel Dubois fights.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

"Squids and cuttlefish have so many unique features compared to other animal groups, making them an endless source of inspiration for scientists," says Prof. Daniel Rokhsar, head of the Molecular Genetics Unit.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Lindbergh later recalled that when he met Daniel Guggenheim, the conversation didn’t take more than about 10 minutes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Daniel drove intently, his hands tight on the steering wheel.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz