Saramacca River
/ˌsærəˈmækə ˈrɪvər/noun
A major river in northern Suriname that flows northward into the Atlantic coastal region.
Did you know?The river’s name is closely associated with the Saramaka, an Afro-Surinamese Maroon people whose ancestors established communities along its basin, although the ultimate origin of “Saramacca” is disputed.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*reyH-
“To flow or move; a reconstructed root associated with flowing water.”
Classical Latin
Latin
rīvus
“A stream or small river.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
rīpāria
“Of a riverbank or associated with a river; the source of English “riparian.””
12th–13th Century
Old French
riviere
“A river; developed from Latin forms related to rīvus.”
17th Century
Dutch colonial records
Saramacca
“A recorded geographic name for the river in Suriname; its indigenous or regional source is uncertain.”
Modern English
English
Saramacca River
“The established English geographic name for the Surinamese river, combining the proper name Saramacca with “river.””