Santarém
/sɐ̃tɐˈɾɐ̃j̃/noun
A city in Portugal and the name of several places in Brazil, most famously the city at the meeting of the Amazon and Tapajós rivers.
Did you know?According to Christian legend, Saint Irene’s body was thrown into the Tagus after her murder, and the river carried it to the site associated with Santarém.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sak-
“To make sacred or set apart.”
Classical Latin
Latin
sanctus
“Sacred, holy, or consecrated; the past participle of sancire, “to make sacred.””
Late Antiquity
Latin
Sancta Irene
“Saint Irene, the Christian martyr traditionally associated with the settlement.”
Early Medieval Period
Arabic
Shantarin
“The Arabic form used for the place-name, adapted from Sancta Irene.”
12th Century
Old Portuguese
Santarém
“The Portuguese place-name developed from the earlier Arabic and Romance forms.”
Modern English
Portuguese
Santarém
“The modern name of the Portuguese city and of several Brazilian municipalities.”