Placename etymology

Placename Origins

By Continent

Africa

The ancient Romans used the name Africa terra --- "land of the Afri" (plural, or "Afer" singular) --- for the northern part of the continent, corresponding to modern-day Tunisia. The origin of Afer may be the Arabic afer, dust; the Afridi[?] tribe, who dwelt in Northern Africa around the area of Carthage; Greek aphrike, without cold; or Latin aprica, sunny.

Asia

Europe

In Greek mythology, Europa was the beautiful daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor. As Zeus saw her, he turned himself into a gentle white bull and approached her and her playing friends. She climbed onto the bull's back and it began so swim off to Crete, where she fell in love with the then-changed-back Zeus and had three sons with him (Minos, Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon, the first two of which constitute, together with Aeacus, the three judges of the underworld).

By Cartographic Feature

Country

State/Territory/Parish

Street

Hydrography (seas, rivers)

See Also

• Etymology
• name