Where does “Amsterdam” come from?
Amsterdam (Polish) comes from Dutch Amsterdam, from Middle Dutch Aemstelredam, from Dutch dam, from Middle French dame, from Spanish dama, from French dame, from Old French dame, from Late Latin domna — to build; to arrange, to put together.
Ancestry of “Amsterdam”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | Amsterdam | — |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | Aemstelredam | — |
| 3 | Dutch | dam | dam; king |
| 4 | Middle French | dame | dame, double checkers piece |
| 5 | Spanish | dama | lady, dame; queen |
| 6 | French | dame | A lady; A polite form of address for a woman;... |
| 7 | Old French | dame | lady; woman |
| 8 | Late Latin | domna | lady, mistress |
| 9 | Latin | domina | lady or mistress of the house |
| 10 | Latin | Dominus | the Lord; Lord; The Lord |
| 11 | Latin | domus | house, home; any building or abode; native place,... |
| 12 | Proto-Italic | domos | house, home |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | dṓm | home; house |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | dem- | to build; to arrange, to put together |