cathay
Cathay (name) means China, specifically medieval northern China as reached by the overland Silk Road to Xi'an or Beijing, not known at the time to be related to southern China as reached by the maritime routes to Guangzhou.
Etymology
From Latin Cathaya, variant of Cataya, from Old Turkic 𐰶𐰃𐱃𐰪 (Qïtań), and ultimately from Khitan 𘱿𘲫 (*qid ún); the Khitan people who conquered northern China as the Liao dynasty in the 10th century and ruled the central Asian Qara Khitai Khanate in the 12th, just prior to the overland European missions to China occasioned by the Pax Mongolica. Most likely cognate with Mongolian хутга (xutga, “knife”) from Proto-Mongolic *kïtuga. Doublet of Khitan. Cognate with Russian Кита́й (Kitáj, “China”). See Names of China.
Rhymes for cathay
See all rhymes for cathay →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of cathay?
"cathay" (name) means china, specifically medieval northern China as reached by the overland Silk Road to Xi'an or Beijing, not known at the time to be related to southern China as reached by the maritime routes to Guangzhou.
What are the different meanings of cathay?
"cathay" has 3 main meanings: 1. China, specifically medieval northern China as reached by the overland Silk Road to Xi'an or Beijing, not known at the time to be related to southern China as reached by the maritime routes to Guangzhou; 2. A settlement in North Dakota; 3. Ellipsis of Cathay Pacific.