Philemon

noun

Phi·​le·​mon fə-ˈlē-mən How to pronounce Philemon (audio) fī- How to pronounce Philemon (audio)
1
: a friend and probable convert of the apostle Paul
2
: a letter written by St. Paul to a Christian living in the area of Colossae and included as a book in the New Testament see Bible Table
3
: a poor aged Phrygian in Greek mythology who with his wife Baucis treats a disguised Zeus hospitably and is rewarded by him with a splendid temple

Examples of Philemon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At a clinic in Nakuru that has benefited from PEPFAR funding for 10 years, counselor Philemon Ogola said medical staff now only see one or two new cases a month. Daniel Kipchumba, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan. 2024 Elizabeth Turner is hereby given to the care and guidance of Philemon Hambleton, who will teach her the art and mystery of the house servant. Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023 Their grandson later compared them to Baucis and Philemon, the humble couple in Ovid’s Metamorphoses who unknowingly host Zeus and Hermes. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023 The cast also included Katie Findlay, Lawrence Kao, Matt Barr, Philemon Chambers, Greg Hovanessian, and Gabriela Quezada. Joe Otterson, Variety, 9 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Philemon.' 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

Greek Philēmōn

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near Philemon

Cite this Entry

“Philemon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Philemon. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Philemon

noun
Phi·​le·​mon fə-ˈlē-mən How to pronounce Philemon (audio) fī- How to pronounce Philemon (audio)
: a letter written by St. Paul to a Christian living in the area of Colossae and included as a book in the New Testament see bible table

More from Merriam-Webster on Philemon

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!