Singapura
/siŋaˈpura/noun
The Malay and Indonesian name for Singapore, also used in historical and literary contexts.
Did you know?The founding legend says Prince Sang Nila Utama saw a lion and named the island Singapura, although historians suggest the animal was more likely a tiger.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
siṃhapura
““Lion city,” formed from siṃha, “lion,” and pura, “city””
7th–14th Century
Old Javanese
Siṃhapura
“A Sanskrit-derived place-name meaning “lion city””
14th Century
Malay
Singapura
“The name applied to the settlement at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula”
14th–19th Century
Malay
Singapura
“A regional name for the island and its settlement”
19th Century–Present
English
Singapore
“The modern English form of Singapura”