Miriam

American  

[mir-ee-uhm] / ˈmɪr i əm /

noun

1. (in the Bible) the sister of Moses and Aaron.

2. a female given name, form of Mary.

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Miriam British  

/ ˈmɪrɪəm /

noun

1. Douay name: Mary.  Old Testament the sister of Moses and Aaron. (Numbers 12:1–15)

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Etymology

Origin of Miriam

From Late Latin Mariam, from Greek Mariám, from Hebrew Miryām, of uncertain origin; see also Mary ( def. )

Example Sentences

The research, led by Dr. Miriam Lisci, a postdoctoral scientist in Prof. Jourdain's lab, focused on carbon-rich molecules, especially pyruvate.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

"It's wonderful. Of course it's going to be a huge help given the situation we're facing in our country," Miriam Joseph, a 65-year-old government worker in Havana, told AFP.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Miriam Margolyes is getting some long overdue Oscars recognition.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Miriam is vivacious and energetic but dogged by an unexplained sin from her earlier life—a sin that vests itself in the sinister person of her “model.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

And they always come alone, which means I no longer get to spend time with my little cousin Miriam, who is Raquel’s daughter.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar