Where does “Nigerian” come from?
Nigerian comes from English Nigeria, from Latin -ia, from Ancient Greek -ία, from Latin -anus, from Latin -um, from Latin -us, from Proto-Italic -os, ultimately denoting a suffix forming adjectives of origin or relationship.
Nigerian (English): A person from Nigeria or of Nigerian descent; Of,...
Definitions
- A person from Nigeria or of Nigerian descent; Of,...
Ancestry of “Nigerian”, step by step
Nigerian traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English Nigeria
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Nigeria | Currency: naira (₦) |
| 2 | English | niger | An Ethiopian herb, Guizotia abyssinica, grown for... |
| 3 | Latin | Niger | A Roman agnomen, or "nickname" |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | negʷ- | bare, naked |
via Romanian Nigeria
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romanian | Nigeria | — |
via Swedish Nigeria
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | Nigeria | — |