English
Thessalonica
Thessalonica comes from Ancient Greek Θεσσᾰλονῑ́κη.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΘεσσᾰλονῑ́κηThessălonī́kē
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEThessalonīca
- EnglishtodayThessalonica
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΘεσσᾰλονῑ́κηThessălonī́kē
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEThessalonīca
- EnglishtodayThessalonica
A compound of Θεσσᾰλός ‘Thessalian’ + νῑ́κη ‘victory’
Proto-Indo-European *neyk- ‘to attack, run at’
Ancient Greek νῑ́κη ‘victory’
The story
Borrowed from Latin Thessalonīca, from Ancient Greek Θεσσᾰλονῑ́κη (Thessălonī́kē), 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 in Thessaly.
Every English word from Ancient Greek Θεσσᾰλονῑ́κη
Today it means
name —
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek Θεσσᾰλονῑ́κη / Thessalonica