Edinburgh
/ˈɛdɪnbərə/noun
The capital city of Scotland.
Did you know?The name is usually traced to a Brittonic form meaning “fort of Eidyn,” showing how a city’s identity can preserve a pre-Scottish power center long after the language vanished.
Etymological Timeline
Early Medieval
Brittonic
Din Eidyn
“Fort of Eidyn”
7th Century
Old English
Edinburg/Edinburh
“Fortified place associated with Eidyn, reshaped by English speakers”
Medieval Scots
Scots
Edinburgh
“The city name in Scots usage”
Modern English
English
Edinburgh
“The capital city of Scotland”