Salonika

The story

1. Greek · derived fromΣαλονίκη
2. Ottoman Turkish · derived fromسلانیك
3. Ancient Greek · derived fromΘεσσαλονίκη
4. Medieval Greek · borrowed fromΣαλονίκη
5. English todaySalonika

From incomplete latinization of Medieval Greek Σαλονίκη (Saloníkē), clipping of Ancient Greek Θεσσαλονίκη (Thessaloníkē), named for Thessalonike daughter of Philip II, half-sister of Alexander the Great, and wife of Cassander of Macedonia, from Θεσσᾰλός (Thessălós, “Thessalian”) + νῑ́κη (nī́kē, “victory”), possibly named for her birth on the anniversary of the Battle of Crocus Field. Used chiefly as a calque of Ottoman Turkish سلانیك (Selânik) but with occasional reference to modern Greek Σαλονίκη (Saloníki).

Words from the same roots