Kampuchea
/ˌkæm.pʊˈtʃiː.ə/noun
The Khmer name for Cambodia, especially used in English for the country during the period of Democratic Kampuchea (1975–1979).
Did you know?Kampuchea is the English rendering of a Khmer name ultimately tied to the legendary Indian king Kambu, showing how royal myth can become a nation’s name.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Indian tradition
Sanskrit
Kamboja
“A people or region mentioned in ancient Indian texts; later linked in legend to the ancestor Kambu.”
Classical/Medieval Khmer
Khmer
Kampujā
“A Khmer self-name for the land, associated with the legendary Kambu.”
Middle Khmer
Khmer
Kampuchea
“The name of Cambodia in Khmer usage.”
20th Century
English
Kampuchea
“The English form of the Khmer name for Cambodia, especially used for the state under the Khmer Rouge.”