Where does “Patagonia” come from?
Patagonia derives from Spanish patagón, a term of uncertain origin whose earliest meaning and etymology remain unclear.
Patagonia (English): including the southern parts of Chile and Argentina
Definitions
- including the southern parts of Chile and Argentina
Ancestry of “Patagonia”, step by step
Patagonia traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Spanish Patagonia
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spanish | Patagonia | Patagonia |
| 2 | Spanish | -ía | Suffix indicating the first-person singular... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | -είᾱ | Superficially appears in abstract nouns derived from σ-stem adjectives, with the true suffix being |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ής | adjective suffix |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |
via Ancient Greek Τιτάν
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | Τιτάν | Titan |
| 2 | Translingual | -therium | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | θηρίον | wild animal, beast, savage beast; a small animal,... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | θήρ | a wild beast, beast of prey, especially a lion;... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | kʷʰḗr | wild beast |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰwer- | wild; wild animal |