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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

Madison en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈmædɪsən/

Etymology

Usually derived from Mathieson (Matthew + -son), occasionally from Middle English Maddy (“Maud”) + -son. In the movie Splash, its use as a given name derives from Manhattan’s Madison Avenue.

Meanings

  1. (qualifier:usually preceded by definite article) A particular line dance commonly danced to the Ike & Tina Turner song Nutbush City Limits (though predating that song's release).
    • This dance with a familiar name is not to be confused with the Madison of a few years ago. The 1962 Madison is simply a twist on the Twist. [...] "The Madison was first introduced to Parisian teenagers from America by television and caught on practically overnight. There is already a nightclub called The Madison. In the nightclubs and at large parties everyone dances in lines, the best dancers in the front line so the beginners behind them can learn from the experts. The Madison is best when done with five or more couples." 1962 August 22, The Australian Women's Weekly, page 4, column 1:
    • It's not everybody's shampoo and set, but the music, the humour and the dancing will strike a chord with all those old enough to remember Chubby Checker, The Madison and The Mashed Potato. 1989 June 19, The Canberra Times, page 14, column 1:
  2. (alt-of) Alternative letter-case form of madison.
    alt of madison

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
Madisons Number=Plur lexicographic

Madison en · PROPN

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈmædɪsən/

Etymology

Usually derived from Mathieson (Matthew + -son), occasionally from Middle English Maddy (“Maud”) + -son. In the movie Splash, its use as a given name derives from Manhattan’s Madison Avenue.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) An English surname originating as a matronymic; (US politics) used specifically of James Madison (1751–1836), a Founding Father and fourth president of the United States.
    • Clearly quite a number of past chief executives would have been TV washouts. Jefferson, for example, is acknowledged to have been a terrible public speaker, Madison an unimpressive little man in voice and appearance. 2011 October 28, Alonzo L. Hamby, “Would Jefferson Make the Cut?”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 08 Aug 2021:
  2. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ The capital city of Wisconsin, United States, and the county seat of Dane County.
    • City governments have joined in by deactivating the cameras or canceling contracts with Flock in Fort Collins, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; Madison, Wisconsin; Knoxville, Tennessee; Syracuse, New York; and Walla Walla, Washington. 2026 July 30, T.M. Brown, “Flock cameras are getting mobbed”, in CNN, archived from the original on 31 Jul 2026:
  3. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city in Alabama.
  4. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city in Arkansas.
  5. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A census-designated place in Yolo County, California; named for Madison, Wisconsin.
  6. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A town in New Haven County, Connecticut.
  7. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city, the county seat of Madison County, Florida.
  8. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city, the county seat of Morgan County, Georgia.
  9. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city in Madison County and St. Clair County, Illinois.
  10. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city, the county seat of Jefferson County, Indiana.
  11. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A minor city in Greenwood County, Kansas.
  12. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A town in Somerset County, Maine.
  13. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city, the county seat of Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota; named for Madison, Wisconsin.
  14. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city in Mississippi.
  15. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city in Missouri.
  16. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city, the county seat of Madison County, Nebraska; named for its county, itself for James Madison.
  17. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A town in Carroll County, New Hampshire.
  18. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A borough in Morris County, New Jersey.
  19. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A town in New York and a village within that town.
  20. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A town in North Carolina.
  21. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A village in Ohio; named for either James Madison or Madison, Connecticut.
  22. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A borough in Pennsylvania.
  23. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city, the county seat of Lake County, South Dakota; named for Madison, Wisconsin.
  24. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A town, the county seat of Madison County, Virginia; named for the landowning Madison family, of which James Madison is a descendant.
  25. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A city, the county seat of Boone County, West Virginia.
  26. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A town in Wisconsin, adjacent to the city of Madison (listed above).
  27. (countable, uncountable) A locale in the United States; all named for James Madison unless otherwise indicated. ▸ A number of townships in the United States, listed under Madison Township.
  28. (countable, uncountable) A river in Wyoming and Montana, United States; named for James Madison.
  29. (countable, uncountable) A male given name transferred from the surname.
  30. (countable, uncountable) A female given name transferred from the surname, popular since 1984 when it appeared as the name of a mermaid in the film Splash.
    • Vanessa likes the ultrapopular Madison as a girl's name, which tells you everything you need to know about her personality. 2007 December 3, Christy Lemire, “Review: "Juno" A Small Comic Charmer”, in CBS News, archived from the original on 16 Apr 2025:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
Madisons Number=Plur lexicographic
Madisyn alternative lexicographic
Maddison alternative lexicographic
Madyson alternative lexicographic

Deriveds

Madison Heights · Fort Madison · Madisonville · Madison Parish · Madison County

Translations (14)

te మాడిసన్ (surname, given name, place name) · hi मैडिसन (surname, given name, place name) · el Μάντισον (surname, given name, place name) · ru Ма́дисон (surname, given name, place name) · ar مَادِيسُون (surname, given name, place name) · ja マディソン (surname, given name, place name) · th แมดิสัน (surname, given name, place name) · mr मॅडिसन (surname, given name, place name) · ru Мэдисон (surname, given name, place name) · he מדיסון (surname, given name, place name) · ko 매디슨 (surname, given name, place name) · uk Медісон (surname, given name, place name) · cmn 麥迪遜 /麦迪逊 (surname, given name, place name) · ta மேடிசன் (surname, given name, place name)