Miles (first name)
Encyclopedia
Miles (ˈmaɪlz) is a male name from the Latin
miles, a soldier
. The medieval knight
was called miles in Middle Latin, while in Classical Latin
, miles meant simply soldier of any sort, including infantry
.
Miles Gloriosus
, whose name means "boastful soldier", was a comic stock character
in classical Roman drama.
Miles has several variant forms, some of which offer their own derivations: Milan
, Milo
, Milos
, Myles
and Mylo
.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
miles, a soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
. The medieval knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
was called miles in Middle Latin, while in Classical Latin
Classical Latin
Classical Latin in simplest terms is the socio-linguistic register of the Latin language regarded by the enfranchised and empowered populations of the late Roman republic and the Roman empire as good Latin. Most writers during this time made use of it...
, miles meant simply soldier of any sort, including infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
.
Miles Gloriosus
Miles Gloriosus
Miles Gloriosus is a stock character of a boastful soldier from the comic theatre of ancient Rome, and variations on this character have appeared in drama and fiction ever since. The character derives from the alazôn or "braggart" of the Greek Old Comedy...
, whose name means "boastful soldier", was a comic stock character
Stock character
A Stock character is a fictional character based on a common literary or social stereotype. Stock characters rely heavily on cultural types or names for their personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. In their most general form, stock characters are related to literary archetypes,...
in classical Roman drama.
Miles has several variant forms, some of which offer their own derivations: Milan
Milan (given name)
Milan is a common Slavic male name derived from the Slavic element mil, with meanings kind, loving, and gracious. Milan was originally a diminutive or nickname for those whose Slavic names began with "Mil-". It is used predominantly by Czechs and Serbs but also frequently in Macedonia, Croatia,...
, Milo
Milo
-Places:Canada* Milo, Alberta, a village in Vulcan CountyEthiopia* Milo, EthiopiaGreece* Milos, an island and municipality in Cyclades Prefecture, South AegeanGuinea* Milo River, a tributary of the Niger RiverIsrael...
, Milos
Milos
Milos , is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete...
, Myles
Myles (disambiguation)
Myles was the son of Lelex in Greek mythology.As a first name, Myles may also refer to:* Myles Brand, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association* Myles Burnyeat, English classicist and philosopher...
and Mylo
Mylo (disambiguation)
Mylo can refer to:* Mylo, North Dakota* Mylo , Scottish electronic musician* mylo , a Sony portable, Skype-compliant, Wi-Fi messaging device...
.