Londinium
/lɒnˈdɪn.i.əm/noun
The Latin name for the ancient Roman settlement that is now London.
Did you know?The name Londinium may be derived from a pre-Roman word meaning 'wild' or 'fierce', hinting at the city's tumultuous beginnings as a trading post and settlement.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic
Celtic
*Londinā
“Believed to mean 'place of the bold' or 'place of the fierce'.”
1st Century AD
Latin
Londinium
“Designated as a Roman settlement, symbolizing conquest and trade.”
5th Century
Latin
Londinium
“Continued use of the name as the settlement fell into decline post-Roman rule.”
9th Century
Old English
Lunden
“Adaptation of Londinium to Old English as the region began to flourish again.”
12th Century
Middle English
Londone
“A further evolution in spelling, establishing the modern form of the city's name.”
Modern English
English
London
“The contemporary name derived from Londinium, now synonymous with the capital of England.”