Catai
/kəˈtaɪ/noun
An obsolete or historical name for China, especially in medieval European accounts.
Did you know?Catai derives from the name of the Khitan people, whose Liao dynasty ruled much of northern China and became Europe’s name for the entire country.
Etymological Timeline
10th–12th Century
Middle Chinese
契丹 (Khì-dān)
“The name of the Khitan people, a powerful Inner Asian group and ruling dynasty.”
Medieval Period
Persian
Khītāy
“A name for the Khitan realm and, increasingly, northern China.”
13th Century
Old Italian
Catai
“A European form used for China in travel writing and commercial accounts.”
13th–14th Century
Latin
Cathay / Cataya
“A name for China appearing in medieval geographical and missionary texts.”
Modern English
English
Catai
“An obsolete historical name for China, chiefly encountered in medieval or historical contexts.”