antietam
|an-tee-tam|
/ænˈtiːtəm/
swift stream; Civil War battle
Etymology
'Antietam' originates from an Algonquian (Unami/Delaware) language, specifically a form recorded as 'Entietam' or similar, where elements likely meant 'swift' or 'rapid' and 'stream'.
'Antietam' changed from the Native American (Unami/Delaware) name 'Entietam' as recorded by early English colonists and eventually became the modern English place-name 'Antietam' (applied to the creek and nearby locations).
Initially, it meant 'swift-flowing stream' (the name of the creek), but over time it evolved into its current usage which commonly refers to the 'Battle of Antietam' (1862) and related place-names.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a creek in western Maryland, United States, known as Antietam Creek.
Antietam runs through parts of western Maryland before joining the Potomac River.
Noun 2
the Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862), a major American Civil War battle fought near Antietam Creek; often referred to simply as 'Antietam' and noted as the single bloodiest day in American military history.
The Union and Confederate forces clashed at Antietam in one of the bloodiest single days of the Civil War.
Last updated: 2025/08/31 17:36