Alexandria
/ˌælɪɡˈzændriə/noun
A city name used for several places, most famously Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE.
Did you know?Alexandria became a major center for astrology, alchemy, medicine, and the Greek Magical Papyri, linking its name with some of antiquity’s most influential occult texts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂elg̑-
“To ward off, protect, or defend; the probable ancestral root behind Greek alexein.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros)
“Defender of men; a compound of alexein, “to ward off,” and anēr, “man.””
4th Century BCE
Greek
Ἀλεξάνδρεια (Alexándreia)
“A city associated with or founded by Alexander; the name was given to numerous settlements established during or after Alexander the Great’s conquests.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
Alexandrīa
“Alexandria, especially the major Egyptian port and intellectual center.”
Middle English
English
Alexandrie
“The Egyptian city of Alexandria, transmitted through Latin and Old French forms.”
Modern English
English
Alexandria
“The traditional English form of the name, used for Alexandria in Egypt and many later cities worldwide.”
Explore more surprising origins