Thamesis
/təˈmiːsɪs/noun
A Latinized or poetic name for the River Thames in Britain.
Did you know?The name’s ultimate origin is disputed, but it is often connected with an ancient Celtic river-name possibly meaning “dark” or “turbid,” not with the modern word “theme.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic, uncertain date
Proto-Celtic
*Tamesā
“A reconstructed ancient river-name; its precise meaning is uncertain, though a connection with a root for darkness or cloudiness has been proposed.”
Iron Age Britain
Brittonic
Tamesis
“The Brittonic name of the river now called the Thames.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
Tamesis
“The Latin form used by Roman writers for the British river.”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Thamesis
“A variant or poetic Latin spelling of Tamesis.”
Old English
Old English
Temese
“The river-name recorded in early English, preserving the older Brittonic form.”
Middle English
Middle English
Temse
“A shortened medieval English form of the river-name.”
Modern English
English
Thames
“The modern name of the river, with the spelling influenced by learned Latin and French usage.”