Vigan

Borrowed from Spanish Vigan, also spelled as Bigan in early maps like the Velarde map (1734), originally from Ilocano Bigan. A common theory is that this word derived from Ilocano biga (“giant taro / Biga'a (Alocasia macrorrhizos)”) + -an (“locative suffix”) where Alocasia macrorrhizos plants once grew abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River, from which Captain Juan de Salcedo derived the city's name, after a misunderstanding with the locals, thinking he was asking the name of the plants. The other theory derives this word from Hokkien 美岸 (Bí-gān, literally “beautiful coast”), possibly by Chinese settlers in the area.

• (Philippines) IPA^(key): /ˈvi.ɡɐn/

• Audio (Philippines):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Vi‧gan

Vigan

1. A city, the provincial capital of Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Region, Luzon, Philippines.

• Givan, Gavin, vagin-, vigna

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Vigan m

1. (Kosovo) a male given name

Borrowed from Spanish Vigan, also spelled as Bigan in early maps like the Velarde map (1734), originally from Ilocano Bigan. A common theory is that this word derived from Ilocano biga (“giant taro / Biga'a (Alocasia macrorrhizos)”) + -an (“locative suffix”) where Alocasia macrorrhizos plants once grew abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River, from which Captain Juan de Salcedo derived the city's name, after a misunderstanding with the locals, thinking he was asking the name of the plants. The other theory derives this word from Hokkien 美岸 (Bí-gān, literally “beautiful coast”), possibly by Chinese settlers in the area.

• Hyphenation: Vi‧gan

Vigan

1. Vigan (a city, the provincial capital of Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Region, Luzon, Philippines)

• Bigan

Also spelled as Bigan in early maps like the Velarde map (1734), originally from Ilocano Bigan. A common theory is that this word derived from Ilocano biga (“giant taro / Biga'a (Alocasia macrorrhizos)”) + -an (“locative suffix”) where Alocasia macrorrhizos plants once grew abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River, from which Captain Juan de Salcedo derived the city's name, after a misunderstanding with the locals, thinking he was asking the name of the plants. The other theory derives this word from Hokkien 美岸 (Bí-gān, literally “beautiful coast”), possibly by Chinese settlers in the area.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbiɡan/ [ˈbi.ɣ̞ãn]
• Rhymes: -iɡan
• Syllabification: Vi‧gan

Vigan ?

1. Vigan (a city, the provincial capital of Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Region, Luzon, Philippines)

Borrowed from Spanish Vigan, also spelled as Bigan in early maps like the Velarde map (1734), originally from Ilocano Bigan. A common theory is that this word derived from Ilocano biga (“giant taro / Biga'a (Alocasia macrorrhizos)”) + -an (“locative suffix”) where Alocasia macrorrhizos plants once grew abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River, from which Captain Juan de Salcedo derived the city's name, after a misunderstanding with the locals, thinking he was asking the name of the plants. The other theory derives this word from Hokkien 美岸 (Bí-gān, literally “beautiful coast”), possibly by Chinese settlers in the area.

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈviɡan/ [ˈviː.ɣɐn̪]
  • IPA^(key): (with nativization) /ˈbiɡan/ [ˈbiː.ɣɐn̪]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iɡan
• Syllabification: Vi‧gan

Vigan (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜒᜄᜈ᜔)

1. Vigan (a city, the provincial capital of Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Region, Luzon, Philippines)