Nile
/naɪl/noun
The major river in northeastern Africa, flowing northward into the Mediterranean Sea.
Did you know?Ancient Egyptians called the river *iteru*, meaning “great river”; the familiar name Nile came through Greek and Latin rather than directly from Egyptian.
Etymological Timeline
2nd Millennium BCE
Ancient Egyptian
iteru
““Great river,” an ancient Egyptian name for the Nile”
5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Neîlos (Νεῖλος)
“The Nile; the Greek form of the river’s name, whose ultimate origin is uncertain”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
Nilus
“The Nile, adopted from Greek”
Medieval Period
Old French
Nil
“The Nile, inherited from Latin *Nilus*”
14th Century
English
Nyle
“The African river, borrowed through French and Latin tradition”
Modern English
English
Nile
“The great northeastern African river”
Explore more surprising origins