spencer

¹

[ spen-ser ]

noun

1. a short, close-fitting jacket, frequently trimmed with fur, worn in the 19th century by women and children.
2. a man's close-fitting jacket, having a collar and lapels and reaching just below the waist, worn in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
3. an English wig of the 18th century.

Spencer

²

[ spen-ser ]

noun

, Military.

1. a .52 caliber, lever-action repeating rifle and carbine patented in the U.S. in 1860 and used by the Union army and navy in the Civil War.

spencer

³

[ spen-ser ]

noun

, Nautical.

1. a large gaff sail used abaft a square-rigged foremast or abaft the mainmast of a ship or bark.

Spencer

⁴

[ spen-ser ]

noun

1. Charles, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, 1674–1722, British statesman: prime minister 1718–21.
2. Herbert, 1820–1903, English philosopher.
3. Platt Rogers [plat], 1800–64, U.S. calligrapher and teacher of penmanship.
4. a town in NW Iowa.
5. a town in central Massachusetts.
6. a male given name.

Spencer

¹

/ ˈspɛnsə /

noun

1. SpencerHerbert18201903MEnglishPHILOSOPHY: philosopher Herbert. 1820–1903, English philosopher, who applied evolutionary theory to the study of society, favouring laissez-faire doctrines
2. SpencerSir Stanley18911959MEnglishARTS AND CRAFTS: painter Sir Stanley. 1891–1959, English painter, noted esp for his paintings of Christ in a contemporary English setting

spencer

²

/ ˈspɛnsə /

noun

1. a short fitted coat or jacket
2. a woman's knitted vest

spencer

³

/ ˈspɛnsə /

noun

1. nautical a large loose-footed gaffsail on a square-rigger or barque

Word History and Origins

Origin of spencer¹

1740–50; spencer ¹indefs 1, 2 named after G. J. Spencer (1758–1834), English earl; spencer ¹indef 3 named after Charles Spencer

Origin of spencer²

First recorded in 1830–40; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of spencer¹

C18: named after Earl Spencer (1758–1834)

Origin of spencer²

C19: perhaps after the surname Spencer

Example Sentences

District Judge Spencer D. Walsh agreed to suspend a prison sentence as the Grammy-nominated “Need It” rapper is already expected to serve 27 months in federal prison for related charges in a case stemming out of Weber County, Utah.

From Los Angeles Times

The 79 signatories of the letter range from big British retailers - such as Aldi, Asda, Boots, Currys, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, Primark, and Sainsbury's - to charity shop group the British Heart Foundation and trade group Associated Independent Stores.

From BBC

Ben Spencer went from first choice to third string in the space of a week.

From BBC

Leicester scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet is back in place of Ben Spencer, tasked with feeding a swift ball to Marcus Smith and hoisting bombs.

From BBC

Earlier this year, Earl Spencer, brother of Diana, the late Princess of Wales, wrote about his experiences of abuse at Maidwell Hall School in Northamptonshire in the 1970s.

From BBC