Parramatta
/ˌpærəˈmætə/noun
A city and former Aboriginal place name in western Sydney, Australia.
Did you know?The popular translation ‘where eels lie down’ is associated with the Dharug people and the Burramattagal clan, although scholars caution that the exact original form and meaning remain debated.
Etymological Timeline
Before 1788
Dharug
Burramattagal
“Name of an Aboriginal clan associated with the Parramatta area; often interpreted as connected with eels.”
Before 1788
Dharug
baramada / burramāda
“A proposed source form for the place name, traditionally explained as referring to a place where eels are found or rest; the reconstruction is uncertain.”
1788
English colonial usage
Parramatta
“The form adopted by British colonists for the Aboriginal place and surrounding river district.”
1790s
English
Parramatta
“Name used for the developing colonial settlement at the head of the Parramatta River.”
Modern English
English
Parramatta
“A major city and administrative center in western Sydney, New South Wales.”
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