Guipúzcoa
/ɡiːˈpuːskoʊə/noun
A historical Spanish name for Gipuzkoa, a province of Spain in the Basque Country.
Did you know?Guipúzcoa’s name predates modern Spanish records, but scholars still cannot agree on a definitive Basque interpretation, making it a genuine toponymic enigma.
Etymological Timeline
11th Century
Latin/Basque record
Ipuscoa
“Earliest known documentary form of the place-name; its meaning is uncertain.”
12th Century
Latin/Basque record
Ipuçcoa
“A medieval recorded form showing the name’s changing spelling.”
13th–15th Centuries
Navarro-Aragonese/Old Spanish
Guipuzcoa
“Forms used in Romance-language administrative and historical records.”
16th Century
Spanish
Guipúzcoa
“The Spanish form became established, including the accent marking pronunciation.”
Modern English
English
Guipúzcoa
“A historical or Spanish-language name for the Basque province now commonly called Gipuzkoa.”
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