Philippines etymology

Etymology of Philippines

The name "Philippines" is derived from the Spanish King Philip II, who ruled during the period when Spain colonized the archipelago.

Meaning and Origin

  • Spanish King Philip II: The name was given to the islands by the Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos in 1543, in honor of the then-Prince of Asturias and future king.
  • "Las Islas Filipinas" (The Philippine Islands): The name became the official designation for the Spanish colony established in the region.
  • Austronesia Roots: It is believed that the name "Philippines" is ultimately derived from the Proto-Austronesian root pagli or pili, meaning "to twist" or "to intertwine." This may refer to the twisting of vines or other plant fibers used in weaving, which was a common practice in the region.

Other Etymological Theories

  • "Feylibon": Some historians suggest that the name "Philippines" may derive from the word "Feylibon," which was the name of a local chief on the island of Leyte who resisted Spanish colonization.
  • "Luzon": It has also been proposed that the name comes from the Tagalog word "Luzon," meaning "mortar," which refers to the shape of the largest island in the archipelago.

However, the most widely accepted and documented etymology remains the one based on King Philip II of Spain.

Philippines relate terms

  • Philip

    Etymology Greek Φίλιππος Philippos Meaning Lover of horses or horse

  • philippic

    Etymology The word philippic derives from Philippics a series of speeches by the an

  • philo

    Etymology Greek philos loving fond logos word speech reason Meaning

  • Filipino

    Etymology The term Filipino comes from the Spanish word Filipino which is derived f

  • Philippines

    Etymology of Philippines The name Philippines is derived from the Spanish King Philip I

  • alfalfa

    Etymology Latin alfalfa Arabic الفصفة al faṣfaṣa Persian اسپست isp

  • Eohippus

    Etymology The name Eohippus is derived from three Greek words Eos Dawn referring t

  • equestrian

    Etymology The word equestrian is derived from the Latin word equester which means h

  • equine

    Etymology Equine derives from the Latin word equus meaning horse The root equ

  • equus

    Etymology The word equus comes from the Proto Indo European PIE root h₁éḱwos

  • hippo

    Etymology The word hippo is derived from the Ancient Greek word ἱπποπόταμο

  • hippocampus

    Etymology The word hippocampus is derived from two Greek words hippos ἵππος

  • Hippocratic

    Etymology The term Hippocratic is derived from the Greek Hippocrates the name of the

  • Hippocrene

    Etymology The word Hippocrene is derived from the Greek words Hippos ἵππος

  • hippocrepian

    Etymology The term hippocrepian is derived from the Greek words hippos horse and

  • hippodrome

    Etymology Hippodrome is derived from the Greek words hippos ἵππος meaning ho

  • hippogriff

    Etymology The word hippogriff is derived from two Greek words Hippo ἵππος

  • Hippolytus

    Etymology Hippolytus Ἱππόλυτος is a Greek name derived from the following ro

  • hippopotamus

  • Philip

    Etymology Greek Φίλιππος Philippos Meaning Lover of horses or horse

  • philippic

    Etymology The word philippic derives from Philippics a series of speeches by the an

  • Philippines

    Etymology of Philippines The name Philippines is derived from the Spanish King Philip I

  • Xanthippe

    Etymology Greek Ξανθίππη Xanthíppē Meaning Yellow horse or yellow

  • yo yo

    Etymology The term yo yo is onomatopoeic derived from the sound made by the toy when

  • kamikaze

    Etymology The word kamikaze 神風 is derived from Japanese and consists of two char

  • concentration

    Etymology The word concentration comes from the Latin word concentrare which means

  • Indian

    Etymology The word Indian is derived from the Greek word Indos which referred to the

  • pacific

    Etymology and Meaning The word pacific originates from the Latin word pacificus whic

  • animal

    Etymology The word animal comes from the Latin word animalis meaning having life o

  • matrix

    Etymology The English word matrix is derived from the Latin word matrix meaning wo

  • cringe

    Etymology of Cringe Cringe originates from the Middle English term cringen which f