Nickerie
/ˈnɪkəri/noun
A district and river in western Suriname, near the border with Guyana.
Did you know?Nickerie’s ultimate Indigenous origin is uncertain; historians generally treat it as a pre-colonial river name later adapted into Dutch spelling rather than a Dutch word with a literal occult meaning.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-colonial period
Indigenous South American languages
Nickeri/Nickerie
“An Indigenous river or place-name; the precise source language and original meaning remain disputed.”
16th–17th Century
European colonial records
Nickerie
“A name applied to the river and surrounding region in European descriptions and maps.”
17th–18th Century
Dutch
Nickerie
“Dutch colonial spelling for the river and locality in western Suriname.”
19th Century
Dutch
District Nickerie
“Administrative district established around the Nickerie River region.”
Modern English
English
Nickerie
“The name of a Surinamese district and its principal river.”
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