Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Zanzibar” come from?

Zanzibar derives from Persian زنگبار, from Persian زنگی, from Middle Persian zngyk'.

Ancestry of “Zanzibar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Persianزنگبار—
2Persianبارpresent stem form of باریدن; burden, load,...
3FrenchbarA bar; A bass
4EnglishBar—
5Germanbär—
6Middle High Germanbër—
7Old High GermanberiA berry
8Proto-West Germanicbaʀiberry
9Proto-Germanicbazjąberry
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-to shine, glow light; to speak, say
11Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-s-ri-—

Words derived from “Zanzibar”

  • Zanzy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri- →