Etymology
111Acheron — 1580s, fabled river of the Lower World in Greek mythology. The name perhaps means marsh like (Cf. akherousai marshlike water ); the derivation from akhos woe is considered folk etymology …
112Amazon — late 14c., from Gk. Amazon (mostly in plural Amazones) one of a race of female warriors in Scythia, probably from an unknown non I.E. word, possibly from an Iranian compound *ha maz an (one) fighting together [Watkins], but in folk etymology long …
113Antwerp — port city in Belgium, Fr. Anvers, from a Germanic compound of *anda at + *werpum wharf (see WHARF (Cf. wharf)). Folk etymology connects the first word with hand …
114Beltane — early 15c., from Lowland Scottish, from Gaelic bealltainn May 1, important Celtic religious rite marking the start of summer, probably lit. blazing fire, from PIE root *bhel (1) to shine, flash, burn (see BLEACH (Cf. bleach)) + O.Ir. ten fire,… …
115Berlin — city in Brandenburg, capital of Germany, traditionally by folk etymology from Ger. Bär bear, but likely from a Slavic source, Cf. Old Polabian berl , birl swamp, in reference to the old city s location on low, marshy ground along the River Spree …
116Bern — Swiss capital, probably originally from PIE root *ber marshy place, but by folk etymology from Ger. Bär bear (Cf. BERLIN (Cf. Berlin)). Related: Bernese …
117Bombay — city in western India, from Portuguese, and popularly explained as Port. bom bahia good bay, but that seems folk etymology (for one, the adjective is masculine and the noun is feminine), and the more likely candidate is the local Mumbadevi… …
118Boniface — innkeeper, 1803, from Will Boniface, character in George Farquhar s comedy The Beaux Stratagem (1707). Contrary to the common opinion, this name derives not from Latin bonifacius well doer, but from bonifatius, from bonum good and fatum fate. The …
119Bruce — a Norman surname, but etymology from Brix (place in La Manche, Normandy) is now considered doubtful [ Dictionary of English Surnames ]. Originated in Britain with Robert de Bruis, a baron listed in the Domesday Book. His son, a friend of David I …
120Catherine — fem. proper name, from M.L. Katerina, from Gk. Aikaterina. The h was introduced 16c., a folk etymology from Gk. katheros pure. The initial Gk. vowel is preserved in Russian form Ekaterina. As the name of a type of pear, attested from 1640s.… …
