Africa
/ˈæfrɪkə/
noun
Origin
Latin
Afer — inhabitant of the region around Carthage
Overview
Meaning Now
- A continent situated primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
Africa terra
Earliest period
1st century BCE
Journey
The name 'Africa' originated with the Romans, who used it to refer to the Carthaginian territory. 'Afri' likely stems from a Berber root denoting inhabitants of caves or specific coastal regions. Over centuries, the term evolved from a regional designation for North Africa to encompass the entire continental landmass, replacing earlier designations like 'Libya' used by the ancient Greeks.
Evolution
- 1st century BCE (Latin)
Africa
“The land of the Afri (a tribe near Carthage)”
Originally applied only to the Roman province of Africa, which corresponds to modern-day Tunisia and parts of Algeria and Libya.
- Late Antiquity
Africa
“Territory under Roman administration in Northern Africa”
- Middle Ages
Africa
“The entire continent”
Gradual extension of the term by European cartographers to encompass the landmass south of the Mediterranean.
- Modern English
Africa
“The continent as a whole”
Connections
Word parts
Afri
root
The name of a Berber tribe
-ca
suffix
territory of
Related across languages
French
Afrique
Africa
Italian
Africa
Related words
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Related to Africa
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.