Singapore
/ˌsɪŋ.əˈpɔːr/noun
A sovereign city-state and island country in Southeast Asia.
Did you know?Singapore’s famous name comes from a Malay legend, but the “lion” element is actually from Sanskrit, showing how myth, language, and empire fused into one place-name.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Skt
siṃha
“lion”
Classical Malay
Malay
singa
“lion”
14th Century
Malay
Singa Pura
“Lion City”
19th Century
English
Singapore
“English form of the place-name for the settlement and port”
Modern English
English
Singapore
“The modern city-state name”