When London was founded by The Romans, it was called "LONDINIUM"! Does anyone know the meaning???....

Question

I have done some research online, to try and find the meaning, and/or the etymology of the word Londinium, but it was fruitless!
Can anyone help? Please!!!!!
Thank you!

Answer 1

recent research by Richard Coates has suggested that the name derives from pre-Celtic Old European — Plowonida — from two roots, plew and nejd, meaning something like "the flowing river" or "the wide flowing river". Londinium therefore means "the settlement on the wide river". He suggests that the river was called the Thames upriver where it was narrower, and Plowonida downriver where it was too wide to ford.

Answer 2

The name London or Londinium comes from an ancient British language similar to Welsh. Two words, Llyn dyn or dynn which translates roughly to mean watering place or possibly dark water or some such.

London also has one other connection with it's pre Roman British past. The River Thames - originally Thamesis, is not Latin as some people think, but British. The word means bright water.

Go to the British Museum in London where you can see the Battersea Shield, placed with great ceremony and loving care into the river at Battersea, no doubt by a great British Chieftain - let's call them the Batterix Tribe.

Answer 3

Hi Londinium is a latin word. Londinium was established as a civilian town by the Romans about seven years after the invasion of AD 43. The name Londinium is thought to be pre-Roman (and probably pre-Celtic) in origin although there has been no consensus on what it means, possibly something like "the flowing river".or The river of Lugh
Tina

Answer 4

"The name Londinium is thought to be pre-Roman (and probably pre-Celtic) in origin although there has been no consensus on what it means. However, recent research by Richard Coates has suggested that the name derives from pre-Celtic Old European — Plowonida — from two roots, plew and nejd, meaning something like "the flowing river" or "the wide flowing river". Londinium therefore means "the settlement on the wide river". He suggests that the river was called the Thames upriver where it was narrower, and Plowonida downriver where it was too wide to ford."

"Many other suggestions have been made in the past. [Some suggest] that the name of the city is derived from a mythical King Lud."

"Roman London : Origins and language" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Londinium#Origins_and_language

"Legendary Origins and the Origin of London's place name" : http://chr.org.uk/legends.htm

Answer 5

There are two different ideas on the meaning of the name "LONDINIUM".

The first is "The place of Lugh", which would make it a mytho-religious holy site for the Celtic God "lugh of the Long hand" or an avatar of the trickster sun-god.

The other providence means "The place owned by one called Londinios". In Latin this hold a little more veracity because of the 'ium' suffix used for place names and the 'in' being a genetive possesive ending.

However, both are only conjecture, there seems to be no definitive and documented origin to the name. It existed before written records which survive and therefore is subject to non-latin and non-celtic inlfuences as well.

Answer 6

"London Londinium c.AD115. An ancient name often explained as 'place belonging to a man called Londinios'. From a Celtic personal name with adjectival suffix, but now considered obscure in origin and meaning."

Answer 7

There are many histories regarding a previous city in London called Lundenwic.

Few miles west side from original Londinium. Prehaps its name comes from original settlement mentioned.

Recent findings brought new insigths regarding this subject, as show at this link bellow


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6700149.stm

Answer 8

According to an Latin to English translator it means London. The on-line etymology dictionary states that no one knows what London means.

It is most probably a place name whose origins is lost in antiquity and most likely from a dead language. Possibly, Heidelbergenus or Cro-Manon.