Central African
/ˈsɛn.trəl ˈæf.rɪ.kən/noun
Relating to the central region of the African continent or to its peoples, cultures, or countries.
Did you know?The origin of “Africa” remains debated: Roman writers connected it with the Afri people, while another theory links it to a Libyan word meaning “cave” or “land of caves.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kent-
“To prick, pierce, or puncture; a proposed ancestral root behind words connected with a sharp point.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kéntron
“A sharp point, spur, or goad; later, the point of a compass.”
Classical Latin
Latin
centrum
“The central point of a circle or figure, borrowed from Greek.”
Roman period
Latin
Africa / Africanus
“Africa; African or belonging to Africa. The deeper origin of Africa is uncertain, possibly connected with the Afri people or a North African place-name.”
Medieval English
English
central
“Situated in the middle, from Latin centralis through French and Medieval Latin.”
Modern English
English
Central African
“Relating to the central part of Africa; the phrase is also used in political, cultural, and geographical names.”
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