Anglo-Saxon

noun

An·​glo-Sax·​on ˌaŋ-glō-ˈsak-sən How to pronounce Anglo-Saxon (audio)
1
: a member of the Germanic peoples conquering England in the fifth century a.d. and forming the ruling class until the Norman conquest compare angle, jute, saxon
2
a
: englishman
specifically : a person descended from the Anglo-Saxons
b
: a white gentile of an English-speaking nation
3
4
: direct plain English
especially : English using words considered crude or vulgar
Anglo-Saxon adjective

Examples of Anglo-Saxon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fears about purportedly dangerous immigrant behavior and the way that outsiders would undermine the Anglo-Saxon family drove the successful push to ban alcohol, which aimed to impose a particular Christian vision of morality and family on America. Elizabeth Marshall / Made By History, TIME, 23 Oct. 2024 Though white, they weren’t viewed as equals to Anglo-Saxon Americans. Christian Paz, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 But negotiations broke down, mainly because Norway believed that only an alliance with the Anglo-Saxon maritime powers could guarantee its security. Carl Bildt, Foreign Affairs, 26 Apr. 2022 Although China is very much a market economy, the country’s approach to capitalism differs greatly from the classic Anglo-Saxon model, characterized by low taxes and few regulations, and even from its European variant, with a greater role for the state. Abhijit V. Banerjee, Foreign Affairs, 3 Dec. 2019 Historians had known for decades that, from around A.D. 660 to 750, Anglo-Saxon England saw a surge in silver coins, after the area had long relied on gold. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024 The Case for Nationalism is an exemplar of America’s original identity politics: white, male, and Anglo-Saxon, with the occasional black jazzman making his contribution and with women kept safely offstage. Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2019 When smiley, mop-stressed Ariel saves shipwrecked human passengers and sees Prince Eric (Anglo-Saxon Jonah Hauer-King), she is awestruck. Armond White, National Review, 26 May 2023 It’s been nearly 14 centuries since the monastery founded by St. Hild of Whitby, a prominent abbess in 7th century Anglo-Saxon England, hosted the Northumbrian kingdom’s assembly to discuss the date on which its Christian church would celebrate Easter. Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Anglo-Saxones, plural, alteration of Medieval Latin Angli Saxones, from Latin Angli Angles + Late Latin Saxones Saxons

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Anglo-Saxon was in 1602

Dictionary Entries Near Anglo-Saxon

Cite this Entry

“Anglo-Saxon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Anglo-Saxon. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

Anglo-Saxon

noun
An·​glo-Sax·​on
ˌaŋ-glō-ˈsak-sən
1
: a member of the Germanic people who conquered England in the 5th century a.d.
2
: a person whose ancestors were English
3
Anglo-Saxon adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Anglo-Saxon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!