Maynila

English

Proper noun

Maynila

1. Alternative form of Manila (“city in Philippines”).

Tagalog

Alternative forms

• Meynila — archaic
• Manila — informal

Etymology

From may- (“there is; with”) +‎ nila (“true indigo”), where nila is derived from Sanskrit नील (nīla, “indigo”).

The name Maynilà is probably in reference to the abundance of indigo-yielding plants growing in the area surrounding the settlement, rather than Maynilà being known as a settlement that trades in indigo dye, as the settlement was founded several hundred years before indigo dye extraction became an important economic activity in the area in the 18th century.

A common alternative theory is that the term came from Maynilad from may- (“there is; with”) +‎ nilad (“Scyphiphora hydrophylacea, shrub-like tree that grows in or near mangrove its swamps”). However, it is unlikely that native Tagalog speakers would completely drop the final consonant /d/.

See also Pangasinan Ibali, an archaic name for Manila.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /majˈnilaʔ/ [maɪ̯ˈn̪iː.lɐʔ]
• Rhymes: -ilaʔ
• Syllabification: May‧ni‧la

Proper noun

Maynilà (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜌ᜔ᜈᜒᜎ)

1. Manila (the national capital of the Philippines; the regional capital of Metro Manila)

   Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

   University of the City of Manila

Derived terms

• Kalakhang Maynila
• Kamaynilaan

Related terms

• Manilense
• Manilenya
• Manilenyo

Descendants

• → Kapampangan: Menila
• → Spanish: Manila
  • → Cantonese: 馬尼拉 / 马尼拉 (maa⁵ nei⁴ laai¹)
  • ⇒ Chamorro: cha'kan manila, chotdan Manila
  • → English: Manila
    • → Korean: 마닐라 (manilla)
  • → French: Manille
  • → Hokkien: 馬尼拉 / 马尼拉 (Má-nî-la), 岷里拉 (Bîn-lí-la), 岷尼拉 (Bîn-nî-la)
  • → Ibaloi: Manida
  • → Japanese: マニラ (Manira)
  • → Mandarin: 馬尼拉 / 马尼拉 (Mǎnílā)
  • → Tagalog: Manila

See also

• tayuman

Further reading

• “Maynila”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018