Edinburgh
/ˈɛdɪnbərə/
noun
Origin
Brythonic
Din Eidyn — Fort of Eidyn
Overview
Meaning Now
- The capital city of Scotland, located in the Lothian region on the south shore of the Firth of Forth.
Literal older meaning
Fort of Eidyn
Language path
Brythonic → Old English → Modern English
Earliest form
Edinburg
Earliest period
11th century
Journey
The name originates from the Brittonic 'Din Eidyn', the stronghold of the Gododdin people. When the Angles of Northumbria conquered the area, they translated the first element and added the Germanic 'burgh', signifying a fortified town.
Evolution
- Late Brythonic
Din Eidyn
“Hillfort of Eidyn”
Original Celtic name for the site.
- Old English
Edinburg
“Fort of Eidyn”
Anglian settlers added the suffix -burg (fortress) to the existing name.
- Middle Scots
Edinbrucht
“City of Edinburgh”
Development of the local Scots pronunciation of the suffix.
- Modern English
Edinburgh
“City of Edinburgh”
Standardized spelling based on the Germanic suffix -burgh.
Connections
Word parts
Edin
root
Refers to Eidyn, the local hillfort/region
burgh
suffix
Fortified settlement or town
Related across languages
German
Burg
fortress/castle
Old English
burh
fortified place
Explore next
Related to Edinburgh
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.