English
Indonesia
(late nineteenth century) Attested circa 1850, composed of Ancient Greek Ἰνδός (Indós, “Indian”) + Ancient Greek νῆσος (nêsos, “island”); initially, in competition with Insulinde, of the same meaning, lexically constructed on a Latin basis, or in reference to the East Indies archipelago.
A compound of Ἰνδός ‘Indian’ + νῆσος ‘island’
Proto-Indo-Iranian *síndʰuš ‘river’
Proto-Iranian *hínduš
Old Persian hiⁿdūš
Ancient Greek Ἰνδός ‘Indian’
Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- ‘to flow, to swim’
Ancient Greek νῆσος ‘island’
Today it means
name A country and archipelago in maritime Southeast Asia. Official name: Republic of Indonesia (since 1950). Capital: Jakarta.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Indonesia