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.
From Roman Table to Anglo-Saxon Grave: An Archaeological Biography of the Scremby Cup. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024 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

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 25 Dec. 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

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