Georgia

Georgia · proper noun¹

1. Middle Persian𐭥𐭫𐭥𐭰𐭠𐭭 (ʿlʿcʾn /⁠wiruz-ān⁠/)
2. Classical Persianگرج (gurj)
3. LatinGeōrgiusinflu.
4. Medieval LatinGeōrgia
5. English todayGeorgia

Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin Geōrgia, itself a borrowing from Classical Persian گرج (gurj) (with influence from (sānctus) Geōrgius (“Saint George”), alluding to the saint's popularity in the country), from Middle Persian 𐭥𐭫𐭥𐭰𐭠𐭭 pl (wiruz-ān, “Iberians, Georgians”). The term's further history is unknown; it may ultimately be from Old Persian 𐎺𐎼𐎣𐎠𐎴 (v-r-k-a-n, “Gorgan”), though that would be phonologically challenging; compare Parthian 𐭅𐭉𐭓𐭔𐭍 pl (wiruž-ān), Old Armenian վիր-ք (vir-kʻ), Old East Slavic гурзи (gurzi). Replaced earlier Georgie, from the same source via a Middle French intermediary. Early medieval sources hypothesize that the country was named after Saint George, while later European accounts connect the name with agricultural tribes called "Georgi" (from Ancient Greek γεωργός (geōrgós, “farmer”)) mentioned by classical authors (Pliny, IV.26, VI.14; Mela, De Sita Orb. i.2); neither of these etymologies is accepted today.

Georgia · proper noun²

1. Proto-Hellenic*gaya
2. Ancient Greekγαῖᾰ (gaîă)clip.
3. Ancient Greekγῆ (gê)
4. Ancient Greekγεω- (geō-)
5. Proto-Indo-European*werǵ-
6. Proto-Indo-European*wérǵom
7. Proto-Hellenic*wérgon
8. Ancient Greekἔργον (érgon)
9. Ancient Greekγεωργός (geōrgós)
10. Ancient GreekΓεώργῐος (Geṓrgĭos)
11. LatinGeōrgiu
12. Middle EnglishGeorge
13. EnglishGeorge
14. English todayGeorgia

From George (male given name) + -ia (place-name suffix).

Georgia · proper noun³

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromΓεώργιος“farmer”
2. English todayGeorgia

Latinate feminine form of George, from Ancient Greek Γεώργιος (Geṓrgios, “farmer”).

Words from the same roots