Ghana

Part of speech: noun, proper noun

Definitions

1. A country located in West Africa known for its rich history and diverse cultures
2. A nation in West Africa bordered by the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Togo, celebrated for its natural resources
3. An African state recognized for its heritage, democratic governance, and vibrant traditions, particularly in the Gold Coast region

Etymology: Arabic "ḡināʔ" means singing or song, and it reached Maltese as "għana," the name of a traditional Maltese folk-singing style. That chain explains the spelling and the sense of song that the Maltese term carries. The name of the modern country is a different matter. It was taken from the medieval West African empire of Ghana, which lay hundreds of miles north of the present state, near the Sahara. That empire's rulers used "ghana" as a title, and the modern state adopted it when it became independent in its own right, as a nod to that earlier kingdom.

Synonyms: Republic of Ghana