Minerva

noun

Mi·​ner·​va mə-ˈnər-və How to pronounce Minerva (audio)
: the Roman goddess of wisdom compare athena

Examples of Minerva in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The figure of the woman on the state seal in one corner is Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024 Smith played Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series, beginning with 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Victoria Edel, People.com, 11 Oct. 2024 Indeed, Smith often complained with trademark snark that her work as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Potter franchise required her to coast on cruise control or simply film hundreds of reaction shots to the lines of child co-stars who had long since left the set and gone home for the day. David MacK, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2024 Her performance as Minerva McGonagall turned the character into one of the franchise’s most beloved supporting players and made Smith a recognizable face among a younger generation of moviegoers. Zack Sharf, Variety, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Minerva 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Minerva.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Minerva was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Minerva

Cite this Entry

“Minerva.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Minerva. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Minerva

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!