Cuyamaca
/ˌkuːjəˈmɑːkə/noun
A proper name in California, especially for the Cuyamaca Mountains and related places.
Did you know?Cuyamaca is generally traced to a Kumeyaay place-name, but its exact original form and meaning are not securely known, so the popular “place of the winds” style claims are often oversimplified.
Etymological Timeline
Indigenous era
Kumeyaay
?
“An original Native place-name in the Cuyamaca region, exact form uncertain”
19th Century
Spanish
Cuyamaca
“Spanish transcription of the local place-name”
19th Century
English
Cuyamaca
“English spelling used for the mountains, ranches, and nearby locations in California”
Modern English
English
Cuyamaca
“A proper name for a mountain range, reservoir, and community in San Diego County”
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