Bombay

/bɑmˈbeɪ/ noun

Definition

The former name of Mumbai, India's largest city, used historically by English speakers and in colonial-era references.

Etymology

From Portuguese 'Bombaim,' possibly derived from 'Bom Bahia' (Good Bay) or from the Sanskrit-Marathi goddess Mumba. The British adopted the Portuguese name during colonial rule, and it remained the official English name until 1995.

Kelly Says

The British renamed this ancient city after a Portuguese trading port, and for centuries called it by that name—but in 1995, Indians reclaimed their city's original local name, Mumbai, which has roots in their own goddess and language dating back centuries.

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