Greenwich
/ˈɡrɛn.ɪdʒ/noun
A district of southeast London, famous as the location of the Prime Meridian and the Royal Observatory.
Did you know?Greenwich is built from Old English elements meaning “green” and “settlement,” and its later fame came from astronomy and timekeeping, not any occult origin.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
grēne wīc
““green settlement” or “green farm/harbor””
11th-12th Century
English
Grenevic / Grenewic
“Early recorded place-name forms in medieval documents”
Late Middle Ages
English
Greenwich
“Standardized English place-name for the district”
19th Century
English
Greenwich Mean Time
“Time standard based on the Royal Observatory at Greenwich”
Modern English
English
Greenwich
“The London district and global reference point for longitude and time”