Goryeo
/ˈɡɔːr.i.oʊ/noun
Goryeo was a Korean dynasty that ruled much of the Korean Peninsula from 918 to 1392.
Did you know?The English name Korea ultimately descends from Goryeo, whose name was transmitted westward through Persian and other Central Asian trade networks.
Etymological Timeline
1st Century BCE–7th Century CE
Korean
Goguryeo
“The name of an ancient Korean kingdom; its deeper internal etymology remains debated.”
7th–10th Century
Middle Korean/Chinese records
高句麗 / Goryeo-related forms
“Goguryeo was also recorded in abbreviated or variant forms, including forms represented in Chinese historical writing.”
918
Korean
고려 (Goryeo)
“Wang Geon founded a new dynasty and adopted Goryeo as its official name, invoking the legacy of Goguryeo.”
10th–13th Century
Persian and Arabic records
Koryo / Korye
“Foreign merchants and geographers transmitted forms of the dynastic name across Eurasian trade routes.”
13th–15th Century
Middle English and European usage
Cauli / Korea-related forms
“European accounts recorded changing forms of the name through contact with Asian and Islamic intermediaries.”
Modern English
English
Korea
“The modern English geographical name ultimately derived from Goryeo.”