quebec

The story

1. Algonquin · derived fromkepék“(it) narrows”
2. French · borrowed fromQuébec
3. English todayQuebec

From French Québec, from Algonquin kepék (“(it) narrows”). Cognate with Mi'kmaq gepe'g (“plug”), and Mi'kmaq Kepinkek. It originally referred to the area around Quebec City where the Saint Lawrence River narrows to a cliff-lined gap. The name of the city preceded that of the province.