Easter Island

English

Etymology

Calque of Dutch Paaseiland. Named by the island's first recorded European visitor, the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who encountered it on Easter Sunday 1722. Roggeveen named it Paasch-Eyland (an 18th century Dutch spelling). The island's official Spanish name, isla de Pascua, also means “Easter Island”.

Proper noun

Easter Island

  1. An island in the South Pacific, belonging to Chile and famous for its moai monuments.
    Synonym: Rapa Nui
    Hyponym: Polynesia
    • 1755, A New Universal Collection of Voyages and Travels, page 320:
      The commodore, after he had quitted this iſland, ſailed 12 degrees to the weſtward, having ſight of a number of birds, which attended them till they arrived at a ſmall iſland about 16 leagues in extent, which they called Paſch, or Eaſter Iſland, from the day on which it was diſcovered.

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Further reading

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