masc. personal name, in Old Testament the younger son of Joseph, also the name of the tribe descended from him, and sometimes used figuratively for "Kingdom of Israel;" Greek form of Hebrew Ephrayim, a derivative of parah "was fruitful" (related to Aramaic pera "fruit").
Middle English, from Latin Assyria, from Greek Assyria, short for Assyria ge "the Assyrian land," from fem. of Assyrios "pertaining to Assyria," from Akkadian Ashshur, name of the chief city of the kingdom and also of a god, probably from Assyrian sar "prince." Compare Syria. Related: Assyrian.
former West African kingdom, from the Bini people, whose name is perhaps related to Arabic bani "sons." Though the people now is associated with Nigeria, the name was taken 1974 by the former nation of Dahomey.
"British rule in India," 1859, from Hindi raj "rule, dominion, kingdom" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule").
medieval northern Spanish kingdom, named for a river that runs through it, probably from a PIE root meaning "water." Related: Aragonese (late 14c., Arragounneys); Middle English also had a noun Aragoner.
"native or inhabitant of ancient Media," the ancient kingdom south of the Caspian Sea, later a part of the Persian empire, late 14c., from Latin Medus, from Greek Medos "Mede," from the indigenous people-name Medes, which is said to be from the name of their first king (Medos).
medieval kingdom in northwestern Spain, said to be from Latin legionis (septimae) "of the Seventh Legion," which was founded in Spain in 65 B.C.E.; if so the name probably then was conformed to Spanish leon "lion." Related: Leonese.
also mouldy, "overgrown or covered with mold, decaying," 1570s, earlier mowly (late 14c.), from mold (n.2) + -y (2). Related: Moldiness.
Your most beautiful bit, that hath all eyes upon her,
That her honesty sells for a hogo of honour ;
Whose lightness and brightness do shine in such splendor,
That none but the stars are thought fit to attend her :
Though now she be pleasant and sweet to the sense,
Will be damnably mouldy a hundred years hence.
[Thomas Jordan, 17c.]
Anglo-Saxon kingdom in northernmost England, founded by mid-6c., eventually merged into Northumbria; the name evidently is a survival of a pre-invasion Celtic name, perhaps that represented by the Welsh Bryneich. Related: Berenician
1933 (Sa'udis), from Sa'ud, family name of the rulers of Nejd from 18c. and of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 1932. The name is from Arabic sa'd "good fortune, happiness." With common Semitic national designation suffix -i. Related: Saudi Arabia; Saudi Arabian.
