Newfoundland derives its name from the Portuguese word "Terra Nova," meaning "New Land."
The island of Newfoundland was first encountered by European explorers in the early 15th century. In 1497, the Italian explorer John Cabot led an expedition under commission from the English King Henry VII. Cabot made landfall on the island's east coast and claimed it for England.
At the time, the island was inhabited by the indigenous Beothuk people. The Beothuk had their own name for the island, but it is unknown what it was.
The Portuguese explorer João Fernandes Lavrador explored the island's northern coast in 1501. Lavrador named the northern area "Terra Nova," reflecting the fact that it was a new land to him and his crew.
Over time, the name "Terra Nova" was applied to the entire island. When English settlers arrived in the 16th century, they adopted the name "Newfoundland."
The name "Newfoundland" is used to refer to:
Etymology Old English land Proto Germanic landuz Indo European lendh to li
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