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Teresa

tuh-REE-suh

Teresa (name) means a female given name from Ancient Greek, the Spanish and Italian form of Theresa. Example: “My friends call me Terry. My husband always used my full name, Teresa. He said it made him feel like he was married to a foreign woman.”

name
1
A female given name from Ancient Greek, the Spanish and Italian form of Theresa.
"My friends call me Terry. My husband always used my full name, Teresa. He said it made him feel like he was married to a foreign woman." — Laura Furman (1980)
"Cynthia and Melinda, reduced to Cindy and Mindy, as Carella had dreaded would happen from the moment she named them. Her older daughter had fared better. Tess, modern and sleek for Teresa, which conjured up cobblestoned streets in a mountain village in Potenza." — Ed McBain (1999)
2
A municipality of Rizal, Philippines.
noun
1
archaic A type of light lady's kerchief in the late eighteenth century.
"A black teresa, thrown round her shoulders, set off the dazzling whiteness of a neck, rounded by the hands of the graces." — Amelia Opie (1790)

Word forms

teresas plural

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My friends call me Terry. My husband always used my full name, _____. He said it made him feel like he was married to a foreign woman.

Etymology

First recorded as the name of a fourth-century Spanish saint. Of obscure origin; suggestions include Therasia or Thera, ancient name of the Greek island Thira.

Origin: Spanish · First attested 300

Class of 300 Teresa joined the language around 300.
See the full Class of 300 →
Terri Tess Tereza Theresa Th�r�se

Related words

Rhymes for Teresa

See all rhymes for Teresa →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Teresa” mean?

The word “Teresa” means a female given name from Ancient Greek, the Spanish and Italian form of Theresa.

How do you pronounce “Teresa”?

“Teresa” is pronounced tuh-REE-suh (/təˈɹiː.sə/ in IPA).

How do you use “Teresa” in a sentence?

Here is “Teresa” used in a sentence: “My friends call me Terry. My husband always used my full name, Teresa. He said it made him feel like he was married to a foreign woman.”

What part of speech is “Teresa”?

Depending on how it is used, “Teresa” can be a name and a noun.

Where does the word “Teresa” come from?

The word “Teresa” dates back to around 300 and comes from Spanish. First recorded as the name of a fourth-century Spanish saint. Of obscure origin; suggestions include Therasia or Thera, ancient name of the Greek island Thira.

Is “Teresa” a common word?

“Teresa” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Teresa” have?

“Teresa” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a female given name from Ancient Greek, the Spanish and Italian form of Theresa.

Where does the name Teresa come from?

Teresa is a female given name derived from Ancient Greek, and it is the Spanish and Italian form of the name Theresa. It has been used across many European languages with slight spelling variations.

Is Teresa the same name as Theresa?

Yes, Teresa and Theresa are variants of the same name, with Teresa being the Spanish and Italian spelling and Theresa being more common in English. Both trace back to the same Ancient Greek origin.

Is Teresa also a place name?

Yes, aside from being a given name, Teresa is also the name of a municipality in Rizal, Philippines. The place name and the personal name are spelled identically but refer to entirely different things.

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Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · etymology from Wiktionary