TOMMY ATKINS Meaning and
Definition
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Tommy Atkins is a historical and colloquial term that originated in Britain, specifically during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It refers to a fictionalized embodiment of the typical British soldier or infantryman, often employed to represent the common soldier in military contexts. The term "Tommy" itself was a generic slang name for a British soldier, while "Atkins" was a common surname at the time, representing a stock character or everyman.
The term gained widespread usage during World War I, as it described the British soldiers who fought on the Western Front. Tommy Atkins became an enduring symbol of the ordinary soldier's fortitude, resilience, and dedication to duty in the face of the hardships and horrors of war.
Tommy Atkins is often associated with positive attributes, such as courage, loyalty, and selflessness. He symbolizes the embodiment of the British military spirit and the steadfastness of the ordinary soldier. The term has gone on to achieve currency beyond the British military, being adopted and popularized by other nations and languages during times of conflict as a way to refer to the common soldier.
Overall, Tommy Atkins is a figurative representation of the British soldier, serving to acknowledge and honor their service and sacrifice, and to evoke a sense of national pride and identity.
Common Misspellings for TOMMY ATKINS
- rommy atkins
- fommy atkins
- gommy atkins
- yommy atkins
- 6ommy atkins
- 5ommy atkins
- timmy atkins
- tkmmy atkins
- tlmmy atkins
- tpmmy atkins
- t0mmy atkins
- t9mmy atkins
- tonmy atkins
- tokmy atkins
- tojmy atkins
- tomny atkins
- tomky atkins
- tomjy atkins
- tommt atkins
- tommg atkins
Etymology of TOMMY ATKINS
The word "Tommy Atkins" is a colloquialism commonly used in Britain to refer to a generic British soldier. The etymology of the term can be traced back to the early 19th century. The name "Tommy" was a common nickname for any ordinary or typical Englishman at that time. This usage is believed to have originated from the popular Thomas Morgan fictional character in Rudyard Kipling's poem "Tommy", published in 1890.
The addition of "Atkins" to "Tommy" is often attributed to the Sergeant-Major Sir Thomas Atkins, a fictional figure created by Rudyard Kipling in his book "Barrack-Room Ballads" published in 1892. Kipling used the name Atkins as a representation of the common British soldier. His use of the name in his writings further solidified its association with the universal soldier archetype.
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