Where does “Suður-Kórea” come from?
Suður-Kórea (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic Kórea, from Korean 고려, from Chinese 高麗, from Dutch kool, from Middle Dutch col, from Old Dutch kōl, from Latin caulis, from Ancient Greek καυλός.
Ancestry of “Suður-Kórea”, step by step
Suður-Kórea traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Icelandic Kórea
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Icelandic | Kórea | Korea |
| 2 | Korean | 고려 | consideration; reflection |
| 3 | Chinese | 高麗 | Korean ginseng; cabbage |
| 4 | Dutch | kool | cabbage; coal; carbon |
| 5 | Middle Dutch | col | — |
| 6 | Old Dutch | kōl | — |
| 7 | Latin | caulis | dative plural of caulae; ablative plural of... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | καυλός | stem, stalk; shaft |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | keh₂ulós | — |