Meroë
/ˈmɛr.oʊ.iː/noun
An ancient city in the Kingdom of Kush, located in present-day Sudan and known for its pyramids and Meroitic civilization.
Did you know?Meroë was a major center of ironworking and produced more than two hundred distinctive pyramids, many built for Kushite royalty.
Etymological Timeline
1st millennium BCE
Kushite
Uncertain
“The original local form of the city’s name is not securely established; its etymology remains debated.”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
Meroē (Μερόη)
“The Greek name for the Kushite royal city and surrounding region.”
Roman Period
Latin
Meroe
“The Latin form used by Roman writers describing the Kingdom of Kush.”
19th Century
English
Meroe
“The standard English spelling adopted in archaeological and historical writing.”
Modern English
English
Meroë
“The modern scholarly form, using a diaeresis to distinguish the final vowels.”