Amsterdam
/ˈæm.stər.dæm/noun
The capital city of the Netherlands, known for its canals and historic port.
Did you know?The name records the city’s origin as a settlement built around a dam in the Amstel, and the first part preserves the river name while the second is the Dutch word for a barrier across water.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-12th Century
Dutch
Amstel
“The name of the river that flowed through the settlement area.”
Pre-12th Century
Dutch
dam
“A barrier or embankment built to hold back water.”
12th Century
Middle Dutch
Amestelledamme
“The dam built on the Amstel River; the developing settlement name.”
13th-14th Century
Middle Dutch
Amsterdam
“The established city name, referring to the settlement at the Amstel dam.”
Modern English
English
Amsterdam
“The modern English form of the Dutch city name.”