Etymology

Atlas Mountains

Today it means: A mountain range in northwestern Africa, occupying portions of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Full definition →

Arabic جِبَال الأَطْلَس ← Ancient Greek Ἄτλας
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The story

  1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἌτλας
  2. Arabic · calque ofجِبَال الأَطْلَس
  3. English todayAtlas Mountains

Calque of Arabic جِبَال الأَطْلَس (jibāl al-ʔaṭlas), ultimately from the Ancient Greek Ἄτλας (Átlas), stemming from the belief that the mountain range is actually the body of the Titan Atlas after being turned to stone.

Words from the same roots

Ancient GreekἌτλας all →

atlas

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.