Egypt
/ˈiːdʒɪpt/
noun
Origin
Ancient Egyptian
ḥwt-kꜣ-ptḥ — House of the Ka (soul) of Ptah
Overview
Meaning Now
- A country in northeast Africa, historically significant as the site of one of the world's earliest civilizations.
- The ancient civilization that flourished along the lower reaches of the Nile River.
Literal older meaning
house of the ka of Ptah
Language path
Ancient Egyptian → Ancient Greek → Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
ḥwt-kꜣ-ptḥ
Earliest period
c. 2000 BCE
Journey
The name 'Egypt' originates from the Greek name 'Aigyptos', which was used to refer to the country. This term is believed to be derived from the Egyptian 'Hikuptah', a name for the city of Memphis, which served as a religious center and the capital of the Old Kingdom. Over time, the name for the city was extended by the Greeks to designate the entire land.
Evolution
- Ancient Egyptian
ḥwt-kꜣ-ptḥ
“Temple of Ptah at Memphis”
- Ancient Greek
Aigyptos
“Egypt”
Hellenized version of the Egyptian name for Memphis
- Latin
Aegyptus
“Egypt”
- Old French
Egypte
“Egypt”
- Middle English
Egipte
“Egypt”
Connections
Related across languages
French
Égypte
Egypt
German
Ägypten
Egypt
Spanish
Egipto
Egypt
Explore next
Related to Egypt
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.