Caledonia
/ˌkælɪˈdəʊniə/noun
A poetic or historical name for Scotland.
Did you know?The Romans used forms like Caledonia for northern Britain, but the deeper origin of the name is uncertain, which only adds to its aura as a boundary-word for the unknown.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Roman era
Latin
Caledonia
“The name used by Roman writers for the land north of the Roman province in Britain, especially Scotland”
1st Century CE
Latin
Caledones
“A tribal or regional name for the people of northern Britain”
Pre-Roman
Unknown
*Caled-
“An unattested older name or ethnic base, probably native to Britain, but its original meaning is uncertain”
Middle Ages
Latin/Scottish Latin
Caledonia
“A learned poetic name for Scotland in historical and literary writing”
Modern English
English
Caledonia
“A literary or poetic name for Scotland”