Where does “Chinatown” come from?
Chinatown derives from English town, Portuguese China, Sanskrit चीन, Gaulish dunum, Proto-Celtic dūnom, and Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂-, ultimately from a root meaning to close or enclose.
Chinatown (English): A district of a city or town in which there is a...
Definitions
- A district of a city or town in which there is a...
Ancestry of “Chinatown”, step by step
Chinatown traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English China
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | China | A Chinese person; Alternative form of cheyney:... |
| 2 | Portuguese | china | a woman, especially one of Native American... |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | Sina | — |
| 4 | Latin | Sīnae | the Chinese, specifically |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Σῖναι | the southern Chinese |
| 6 | Arabic | صِين | — |
| 7 | Pahlavi | čīn | — |
| 8 | Sanskrit | चीन | the Chinese people; China; a bandage for the... |
| 9 | Old Chinese | 秦 | {{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin |
via English town
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | town | A settlement; an area with residential districts,... |
| 2 | Middle English | toun | town |
| 3 | Middle English | ende | The end or finishing of a thing; the terminal... |
| 4 | Old English | ende | end, limit, border, corner |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |