Bahrain
/bɑːˈreɪn/noun
An island country and archipelago in the Persian Gulf, northeast of Saudi Arabia.
Did you know?The Arabic name al-Baḥrayn uses a grammatical dual form, suggesting two seas rather than simply many seas; explanations have included saltwater and freshwater springs.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*baḥr-
“Sea or large body of water”
Ancient Arabic
Arabic
baḥr
“Sea”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
al-baḥrayn
“The two seas; the Arabic dual form of baḥr”
Medieval Period
Arabic
al-Baḥrayn
“The two seas, used for the Gulf region and its islands”
Medieval Latin
Latin
Barayn / Bahrain
“The place-name transmitted in European geographical writing”
Modern English
English
Bahrain
“The modern name of the island country and archipelago”