Mississippi
/ˌmɪs.ɪˈsɪp.i/noun
A major river in the central United States, or the U.S. state named after it.
Did you know?The name comes through French from an Algonquian language, and its meaning is usually explained as “Great River,” a reminder that many U.S. place names preserve Indigenous geography rather than European invention.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Colonial
Algonquian
*misi-ziibi
““Great river” or “big river””
17th Century
French
Mississipi / Mississipi River
“French transcription of the Indigenous river name”
18th Century
English
Mississippi
“The river name adopted into English spelling and usage”
19th Century
English
Mississippi
“Name extended to the U.S. state and broader regional references”
Modern English
English
Mississippi
“The river, the state, and related geographic and cultural references”