Ceylon
/sɪˈlɒn/noun
The former English name for Sri Lanka, especially used historically for the island and its tea.
Did you know?“Ceylon” is an English colonial form ultimately based on the island’s native name Sri Lanka’s earlier Sinhala form, with Portuguese and Dutch spellings helping carry it into European maps and commerce.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient/Medieval Sinhala
Sinhala
Sīhala
“A traditional name associated with the island and its people”
14th Century
Portuguese
Ceilão
“Portuguese colonial name for the island”
17th Century
Dutch
Ceilon
“Dutch colonial spelling used in maps and administration”
18th–19th Century
English
Ceylon
“English form of the colonial island name”
1972
English
Sri Lanka
“Official modern name of the country, replacing Ceylon”