lucille: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal (as a name), Informal (in pop culture references).
Quick answer
What does “lucille” mean?
A woman's given name.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A woman's given name.
As a proper noun, it typically refers to an individual. In popular culture, it is famously the name of a hollow-body electric guitar (B.B. King's guitar named Lucille) or a character from The Walking Dead comics and TV series.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences as a name. Pop culture references (guitar, TV character) are understood in both varieties.
Connotations
As a name, it is considered somewhat old-fashioned/vintage. In US blues culture, 'Lucille' has strong connotations with B.B. King's guitar.
Frequency
The name is historically used in both but is less common today.
Grammar
How to Use “lucille” in a Sentence
Lucille (subject) + verbverb + Lucille (object)Possessive: Lucille's + nounVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lucille” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except possibly in referring to a person.
Academic
Rare, except in historical or cultural studies mentioning specific individuals or artefacts.
Everyday
Used when referring to a person or the pop culture references.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lucille”
- Incorrect capitalisation when not starting a sentence (should always be capitalised).
- Using it as a common noun without clear personification.
- Mispronouncing as /ˈluːsɪl/ instead of /luːˈsiːl/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered vintage and is less common for newborns in recent decades.
He named it after a woman named Lucille who was the cause of a fight at a club where a fire broke out, nearly killing him. He named his guitars thereafter to remind himself never to do something so reckless again.
It is pronounced /luːˈsiːl/ (loo-SEEL), with the stress on the second syllable.
Virtually never in standard English, except in highly creative or personifying contexts (e.g., 'my old car is a real Lucille'). It is not found in dictionaries as a common noun.
A woman's given name.
Lucille is usually formal (as a name), informal (in pop culture references). in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think "Lucy" but with more elegance: Lucy + 'ille' as in 'brilliant' = Lucille.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSONIFICATION: The guitar 'Lucille' is a classic example of a tool/instrument treated as a person/companion.
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is the most common use of 'Lucille'?