Amboine
|Am-boine|
/æmˈbɔɪn/
Old European name for Ambon (island)
Etymology
'Amboine' originates from adaptations in European languages of the local Maluku name 'Ambon' (the island's native name), especially via Portuguese and Dutch forms such as 'Amboina'.
'Amboine' changed from the Portuguese/Dutch form 'Amboina' and the variant 'Amboyna' and was adopted into English and French usage as 'Amboine' in early modern texts.
Initially, it meant 'the island called Ambon' (the place name), and over time it continued to denote the island while also appearing in historical references to events tied to that place.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a historical European name for the island of Ambon in the Maluku Islands (eastern Indonesia).
Amboine was used by European writers in the 17th century to refer to the island now commonly called Ambon.
Synonyms
Noun 2
used in historical contexts to refer to events or entities associated with Ambon, e.g., the Amboine (Amboyna) Massacre of 1623.
The Amboine Massacre (also called the Amboyna Massacre) is a notable historical event associated with the name Amboine.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/01 02:26