Seychelles
/seɪˈʃɛlz/noun
An island country in the western Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar.
Did you know?Seychelles was named in 1756 by a French expedition after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, a French controller-general of finances, showing how colonial naming could turn a person into a permanent map-mark.
Etymological Timeline
1756
French
Séchelles
“The surname of Jean Moreau de Séchelles, a French official”
18th Century
French
Îles de Séchelles
“Name given to the islands by French explorers”
Late 18th Century
English
Seychelles
“English form of the island-name adopted from French usage”
Modern English
English
Seychelles
“The name of the island country and archipelago”