Selkirk

American

[sel-kurk] / ˈsɛl kɜrk /

noun

Alexander originally Alexander Selcraig, 1676–1721, Scottish sailor marooned on a Pacific island: supposed prototype of Robinson Crusoe.
Also called Selkirkshire. a historic county in southeastern Scotland.

Selkirk British

/ ˈsɛlˌkɜːk /

noun

Alexander. original name Alexander Selcraig. 1676–1721, Scottish sailor, who was marooned on one of the islets of Juan Fernández and is regarded as the prototype of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Stage bosses at Selkirk Musical Theatre Group announced last May that they had successfully applied for the rights to perform We Will Rock You.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

Inspired by an event which launched in New York in 2002, the challenge has become an annual ritual in London since 2009, said organiser Dave Selkirk.

From Barron's • Jan. 11, 2026

"In New York, it's called 'No Pants', but that means something different in London," where pants refers to underwear, explained Selkirk.

From Barron's • Jan. 11, 2026

Mr Owen had moved to Selkirk more than 20 years earlier from Saffron Walden, where he ran his own timber and conservatory companies.

From BBC • Sep. 2, 2025

During his stay upon the island, Selkirk caught and killed nearly five hundred goats.

From Curiosities of Human Nature by Anonymous

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023