Where does “New Amsterdam” come from?

New Amsterdam (English) comes from Dutch Nieuw-Amsterdam, from Dutch Amsterdam, from Middle Dutch Aemstelredam, from Dutch dam, from Middle French dame, from Spanish dama, from French dame, from Old French dame — to build; to arrange, to put together.

New Amsterdam (English): the Dutch colonial settlement that later became New York City

Definitions

  1. the Dutch colonial settlement that later became New York City

Ancestry of “New Amsterdam”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1DutchNieuw-AmsterdamNew Amsterdam, the Dutch colony on the North American East Coast which later became British as New York (renamed after an English city)
2DutchAmsterdam
3Middle DutchAemstelredam
4Dutchdamdam; king
5Middle Frenchdamedame, double checkers piece
6Spanishdamalady, dame; queen
7FrenchdameA lady; A polite form of address for a woman;...
8Old Frenchdamelady; woman
9Late Latindomnalady, mistress
10Latindominalady or mistress of the house
11LatinDominusthe Lord; Lord; The Lord
12Latindomushouse, home; any building or abode; native place,...
13Proto-Italicdomoshouse, home
14Proto-Indo-Europeandṓmhome; house
15Proto-Indo-Europeandem-to build; to arrange, to put together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dem-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dṓmEvery word from Proto-Italic domos