Filipino
/ˌfɪlɪˈpiːnoʊ/
noun
Origin
Spanish
Felipe — Lover of horses
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person from the Philippines.
- The national language of the Philippines, based primarily on Tagalog.
Literal older meaning
Of or from the Philippines; son of Philip.
Language path
Latin → Spanish → Filipino
Earliest form
Filipino
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The term originated from 'Las Islas Filipinas', named by the Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos in 1543 to honor King Philip II of Spain. Originally, 'Filipino' specifically referred to Spaniards born in the Philippines (insulares), while the indigenous population was referred to as 'Indios'. The term broadened to include all citizens of the country only during the late 19th-century independence movement.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
philippos
“fond of horses”
Compound of philein (to love) and hippos (horse).
- Latin
Philippus
“Name of monarchs”
- Spanish
Filipino
“Inhabitant of the Philippines”
Coined during the Spanish colonial period to refer to the islands (Las Filipinas).
Connections
Word parts
Filipin-
root
Philippines
-o
suffix
masculine inhabitant marker
Explore next
Related to Filipino
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.