Kitay
/kɪˈtaɪ/noun
A historical transliteration or name for China, also used as a personal or place name.
Did you know?The modern English name “Cathay” and Russian “Kitay” ultimately trace back to the Khitan, a medieval people whose dynasty helped shape Western ideas of China.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Chinese
Chinese
契丹 (Qìdān)
“The name of the Khitan people, a powerful nomadic group in northern China.”
Medieval period
Mongolic
Kitad
“A form referring to the Khitan and, by extension, their territory.”
Medieval period
Turkic
Qitai
“The Khitan people or the lands associated with them.”
Medieval period
Old Russian
Китаи (Kitai)
“China or the Chinese realm, derived through Central Asian forms of the Khitan name.”
Modern English
English
Kitay
“A historical transliteration or proper name associated with China.”