Corentyne
/ˈkɒrənˌtaɪn/noun
A river forming much of the border between Guyana and Suriname, and the surrounding historical region.
Did you know?The river is known in Dutch as the Corantijn, while English uses Corentyne—a reminder that colonial maps often preserved Indigenous names only after altering their pronunciation and spelling.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European contact
Indigenous languages
Uncertain
“The river had an Indigenous name, but its original form and meaning are not securely documented.”
17th Century
Dutch
Corantijn
“The Dutch colonial form used for the major river in the region.”
18th–19th Century
English
Courantyne
“An English spelling variant appearing in colonial maps and writing.”
19th Century
English
Corentyne
“The modern English form used for the river and adjacent coastal region.”
Modern English
English
Corentyne
“A geographic name associated with the Guyana–Suriname border and the Corentyne region.”
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