Singapore

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A Southeast Asian city-state known for its bustling economy and multicultural society
2. A sovereign island nation in Southeast Asia renowned for its urban development and finance industry
3. A global financial hub that exhibits a blend of diverse cultures and modern architecture in its metropolitan landscape

Etymology: The name combines two Sanskrit words: "siṃha," meaning lion, and "pura," meaning city. Together, "siṃhapura" meant "lion city," and it reached the island through Malay as "Singapura." The lion in the name is a legend rather than a zoological fact, since lions were never native to the Malay Peninsula or the island. The most common story tells of a Sumatran prince, who, after landing on the island, saw an animal he took to be a lion and decided to found a city there. Whether or not that tale is true, the name it explains was already in use in the Malay world long before the modern state existed. Modern English simply adopted the Malay form, so the word carries a Sanskrit meaning that passed through Malay before reaching English.