Ἀζανία

Ancient Greek

Etymology 1

Possibly from Ζάν (Zán, “Zeus”) — Doric + -ία (-ía).

Proper noun

Ἀζανία • (Azanía) f (indeclinable)

  1. (historical) a subregion of Arcadia.

Etymology 2

Two possibilities: 1. Related to Somali san (“nose”), referring to the Horn of Africa; (Cushitic languages like Somali have been spoken there for many thousands of years). 2. Related to Arabic عَجَمِيّ (ʕajamiyy, “foreign, barbarian”). The Greeks likely remoulded whichever word to a familiar form (Etymology 1). Probably not related to Ζήγγισα.

Proper noun

Ἀζανία • (Azanía) f (indeclinable)

  1. (historical) The region of East Africa as known by the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

References

"AZANIA, SOME ETYMOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS", John Hilton, Acta Classica, vol.35

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