Comoros
/ˈkɒm.ə.rɒz/noun
An island country in the Indian Ocean, between Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique.
Did you know?The name Comoros ultimately comes from Arabic al-qamar, “the moon,” because medieval Arab geographers called the islands Juzur al-Qamar, “Islands of the Moon.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Kētōn?
“No established ancestor directly attested for the modern country name; the later name entered through Arabic geography.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
Juzur al-Qamar
““Islands of the Moon,” the Arabic name used for the island group.”
Portuguese / European usage
Portuguese
Comores
“European rendering of the Arabic-derived island name.”
Modern English
English
Comoros
“The modern English name of the island country and archipelago.”