Orkney

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name
  1. Ellipsis of Orkney Islands.
  2. A historical county of Scotland, United Kingdom.

Pronunciation

/ˈɔɾkne/ /ˈɔɾknɪ/ /ˈɔɾkni/ /ˈɔːkni/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Orkney.wav

Word forms

Orkney

Etymology

From Old Norse Orkneyjar (“seal islands”), from Old Norse ørkn (“seal”) + ey (“island”). The modern form is singular. Ninth-century Norwegian settlers reinterpreted the Pictish/Proto-Brythonic name for the islands, recorded as Ancient Greek Όρκάδες (Órkádes), which was derived from Proto-Celtic *ɸorkos (“young pig”).

Related words

Derived words

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