demonym

American  

[dem-uh-nim] / ˈdɛm ə nɪm /

noun

demonyms plural

1. the name used for the people who live in a particular country, state, or other locality.

   Two demonyms for the residents of Michigan are Michigander and Michiganian.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• demonyms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of demonym

First recorded in 1995–2000; dem(o)- + -onym

Explanation

A demonym is a word that's used to identify people who are from a particular place. If you live in Miami, you can use several demonyms: you're a Miamian, a Floridian, and a North American. Demonym is derived from the Greek dêmos, "people," and onoma, "name." It's the word for the names that groups of people are given based on where they live, like Sri Lankans, Patagonians, Germans, and Baltimoreans. Some demonyms are less obvious than others: if you're from Liverpool, England, you're a Liverpudlian, and a Glaswegian lives in Glasgow, Scotland. There are also many informal demonyms, like "Jayhawker" for Kansas natives and "Yinzer" for Pittsburg residents.