Meanings
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- akk-obb𒌷𒉌𒉡𒀀
- Akkadian𒌷𒉌𒉡𒀀 𒀏
- Ancient GreekΝινευή
- LatinNīnevē
- Biblical Hebrewנִינְוֵה
- Old EnglishNiniuea
- EnglishNineveh
From Old English Niniuea (under influence from Biblical Hebrew נִינְוֵה (nīnəwē)), from Latin Nīnevē, from Ancient Greek Νινευή (Nineuḗ), ultimately from Akkadian 𒌷𒉌𒉡𒀀 𒀏 (/Ninua/) or Old Babylonian 𒌷𒉌𒉡𒀀 (/Ninuwā/) of uncertain origin, but is clearly a variation of 𒀏 (/ninâ/, “fish”). The cuneiform seems to denote "House of Fish", although whether this referred to literal fish, an aspect of Ishtar, a separate Hurrian goddess, or something else entirely is unclear. The traditional folk etymology in classical antiquity derived it from an eponymous founder Ninus (Greek: Νίνος (Nínos)).
More words from Old English, Biblical Hebrew, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek Νινευή, Νινειΐ
- Νινευή (Nineuḗ)ancient capital of Assyria
- Νινειΐ (Nineiḯ)ancient capital of Assyria
Arabic نِينَوَى, نَيْنَوَى
- نِينَوَى (nīnawā)ancient capital of Assyria
- نَيْنَوَى (naynawā)ancient capital of Assyria
Catalan Nínive
- Níniveancient capital of Assyria
Chinese Mandarin 尼尼微
- 尼尼微 (Níníwēi, Níníwéi)ancient capital of Assyria
Danish Nineve
- Nineveancient capital of Assyria
Finnish Ninive
- Niniveancient capital of Assyria
French Ninive
- Niniveancient capital of Assyria
German Ninive
- Niniveancient capital of Assyria
Greek Νινευή
- Νινευή (Nineví)ancient capital of Assyria
Hebrew נִינְוֵה
- נִינְוֵה (nin'vé)ancient capital of Assyria
Hindi नीनवा
- नीनवा (nīnvā)ancient capital of Assyria
Irish Ninivé
- Ninivéancient capital of Assyria
Italian Ninive
- Niniveancient capital of Assyria
Japanese ニネヴェ
- ニネヴェ (Nineve)ancient capital of Assyria
Korean 니네베
- 니네베 (Ninebe)ancient capital of Assyria
Latin Nīnevē, Nīnivē
- Nīnevēancient capital of Assyria
- Nīnivēancient capital of Assyria
Persian نینوا
- نینوا (Neynavâ)ancient capital of Assyria
Polish Niniwa
- Niniwaancient capital of Assyria
Portuguese Nínive
- Níniveancient capital of Assyria
Russian Ниневия
- Ниневия (Ninevija)ancient capital of Assyria
Spanish Nínive
- Níniveancient capital of Assyria
Thai นิเนเวห์
- นิเนเวห์ancient capital of Assyria
Turkish Ninova
- Ninovaancient capital of Assyria
Cite this entry
Nineveh. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Nineveh
“Nineveh.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Nineveh. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Nineveh,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Nineveh.
Source: Nineveh on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.