Kareliya
/kəˈriːliə/noun
A transliteration of Karelia, a historical region of northern Europe divided between Finland and Russia.
Did you know?The origin of Karelia’s name is genuinely disputed: scholars connect it to the Karelian ethnonym, but its deeper linguistic source remains uncertain rather than securely traceable to a known ancient word.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval period
Finnic
Karjala
“The traditional Finnic name for Karelia; its ultimate origin is uncertain.”
13th Century
Latin
Carelia
“A medieval Latin form used for the region and its people.”
15th Century
Swedish
Karelen
“Swedish name for Karelia, reflecting the regional ethnonym.”
18th Century
Russian
Карелия (Kareliya)
“Russian name for Karelia, formed from the ethnonym of the Karelians.”
Modern English
English
Karelia
“The established English geographical name for the region; “Kareliya” is chiefly a transliteration from Russian.”