Andes
/ˈæn.deɪz/noun
A major mountain range in western South America.
Did you know?The name Andes likely entered European usage through Spanish chroniclers after contact with the Inca world, but its exact pre-Spanish origin is uncertain, making it a rare famous place-name with a shadowy linguistic past.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Quechua/Pre-Columbian
Quechua?
Anti
“Likely a regional name for the eastern highlands or a people/place associated with the Inca frontier”
16th Century
Spanish
Andes
“Spanish chroniclers' form for the great South American mountain chain”
16th-17th Century
Latin
Andes
“Used in European geographic writing for the mountain range”
Modern English
English
Andes
“The mountain range running along the western edge of South America”