Sri Lankan
/ˌsriː ˈlæŋ.kən/noun
Relating to Sri Lanka or its people, culture, or language.
Did you know?Sri Lanka replaced the colonial-era name Ceylon as its official name in 1972, reviving the Sanskrit-derived honorific Sri alongside the older name Lanka.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śrī
“Radiance, prosperity, beauty, or an honorific meaning venerable or illustrious”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Laṅkā
“The traditional name of the island; its deeper pre-Sanskrit origin is uncertain”
Ancient and Medieval South Asia
Sanskrit/Pali
Śrī Laṅkā
“An honorific form meaning venerable or illustrious Lanka”
16th Century
Portuguese
Ceilão
“Portuguese form of the island’s name, derived through regional forms such as Sinhala”
19th Century
English
Ceylon
“The principal English name for the island under British rule”
1972
English
Sri Lanka
“The modern official name adopted when the country became a republic”
Modern English
English
Sri Lankan
“The English adjective and demonym formed from Sri Lanka with the suffix -an”