Kozhikode
/ˌkoʊʒɪˈkoʊdeɪ/noun
A city and coastal district in Kerala, India, historically known in English as Calicut.
Did you know?European forms like Calicut likely came through Arabic and other trade languages, showing how a single port city could be renamed by the merchants who ruled its story.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient/Medieval Kerala
Malayalam
Kōḻikkōṭ്
“The local name of the settlement/port on the Malabar Coast, later rendered in English as Kozhikode.”
Medieval trade era
Arabic
Qāliqūṭ / Qalīqūṭ
“An Arabic form used by traders and travelers for the port city.”
14th-15th Century
Portuguese
Calecut / Calicut
“European spelling used by Portuguese navigators and merchants.”
16th-19th Century
English
Calicut
“The standard English name for the Malabar Coast port and city.”
Modern English
English
Kozhikode
“The official modern name of the city in Kerala, India.”