Eritrea
/ˌɛrɪˈtriːə/noun
A country in the Horn of Africa on the Red Sea.
Did you know?Eritrea was named by Italian colonial authorities from the Greek name for the Red Sea, which ultimately comes from an ancient root meaning “red,” a color ancient peoples often used to map sacred geography.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Erythraía
“The Red Sea region; literally, the red land/sea area”
Latin
Latin
Erythraea
“A Latinized form referring to the Red Sea region”
19th Century
Italian
Eritrea
“Name adopted for the Italian colonial territory on the Red Sea”
Modern English
English
Eritrea
“The modern state in northeast Africa”