Petén
/peˈten/noun
A sparsely populated region and department in northern Guatemala, known for tropical forests and ancient Maya cities.
Did you know?Petén is associated with the Itza’ Maya language, in which peten refers to an island or land surrounded by water; the region contains Tikal and other major Maya ruins.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Mayan
peten
“Island or land surrounded by water”
Before 16th Century
Itza’ Maya
peten
“Island; a term used in the Maya-speaking world”
16th Century
Spanish
Petén
“Name applied to the forested northern region of present-day Guatemala”
18th Century
Spanish
Petén
“Regional place-name in colonial Central America”
Modern English
English
Petén
“A region and department of Guatemala”