Philadelphia
/ˌfɪl.əˈdɛl.fi.ə/noun
A major city in Pennsylvania, or the name of several places, and historically a term meaning brotherly love.
Did you know?Philadelphia comes from Greek *philadelphía*, built from *phílos* (“loving, dear”) + *adelphós* (“brother”), and the same *philo-* root powers words like *philosophy* and *philanthropy*.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
philadelphía
“brotherly love”
Hellenistic Greek
Greek
Philadelphía
“a personal epithet and place-name meaning “brother-loving””
Latin
Latin
Philadelphia
“transliterated Greek name used in Roman-era texts and place references”
Biblical / Late Antiquity
Greek/Latin
Philadelphia
“name of an ancient city in Asia Minor and a Christian church addressed in Revelation”
17th Century
English
Philadelphia
“the name chosen by William Penn for the Pennsylvania city”
Modern English
English
Philadelphia
“the largest city in Pennsylvania”
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