Palermo

Palermo (a city and province of Sicily, Italy)


Tarragona

Tarragona (a province of Catalonia, Spain)


Brabant

From Middle Dutch brabant, from Old Dutch *brākbant (attested in Latin as pāgus brācbatensis), from Frankish, a compound of Proto-Germanic *brēk-, *brekaną (“fallow, originally 'to break'”) + *bant-, *bantō, *banti (“district, region”), which could be from Proto-Indo-European *bʰonHdéh₂ (“beneficial, good”), from *bʰHdús.
The latter element is also found in other toponyms such as Oosterbant, Swifterbant and Teisterbant.

der

(Belgium) Brabant (a former province of Belgium)

Zuid-Brabant (1815-1830, also in the Netherlands to contrast with Noord-Brabant)


Limburg

From Middle Dutch limborch, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *lindō (“linden (tree)”) and *burg/*burgz (“fortification, stronghold”).

Meronyms: Alken, As, Beringen, Bilzen, Bocholt, Borgloon, Bree, Diepenbeek, Dilsen-Stokkem, Genk, Gingelom, Halen, Ham, Hamont-Achel, Hasselt, Hechtel-Eksel, Heers, Herk-de-Stad, Herstappe, Heusden-Zolder, Hoeselt, Houthalen-Helchteren, Kinrooi, Kortessem, Lanaken, Leopoldsburg, Lommel, Lummen, Maaseik, Maasmechelen, Nieuwerkerken, Oudsbergen, Peer, Pelt, Riemst, Sint-Truiden, Tessenderlo, Tongeren, Voeren, Wellen, Zonhoven, Zutendaal

Meronyms: Beek, Beekdaelen, Beesel, Bergen, Brunssum, Echt-Susteren, Eijsden-Margraten, Gennep, Gulpen-Wittem, Heerlen, Horst aan de Maas, Kerkrade, Landgraaf, Leudal, Maasgouw, Maastricht, Meerssen, Mook en Middelaar, Nederweert, Peel en Maas, Roerdalen, Roermond, Simpelveld, Sittard-Geleen, Stein, Vaals, Valkenburg aan de Geul, Venlo, Venray, Voerendaal, Weert


Drenthe

From Middle Dutch [Term?], from late Old Dutch Drente, from earlier Old Dutch Thrente, from Old Dutch Thriente, from Old Dutch Thrianta (also Old Dutch Threant), from *thrie (“three”) + *hant-. Beware that these attestations come to us via copies of Latin texts, and may therefore be affected by transcription errors and phonological adaptation. De Vries thought *hant- means community or part of the area where a people live; if so that would mean that Drenthe originally consisted of just three dingspelen (“judicial areas”) rather than the six it has had since our earliest records. Compare Twente. Attested both with and without h from early Modern Dutch; the form with h is now standard, although this doesn't affect the pronunciation.

Meronyms: Aa en Hunze, Assen, Borger-Odoorn, Coevorden, De Wolden, Emmen, Hoogeveen, Meppel, Midden-Drenthe, Noordenveld, Tynaarlo, Westerveld


Flevoland

Borrowed from Latin Flevo, a lake or inland sea near or identical to the Zuiderzee, mentioned by Pomponius Mela in De chorographia. The element Vlie, as in Vlieland, is thought to be cognate, with both names being derived from the same root as the verb vloeien (“to flow”).

Meronyms: Almere, Dronten, Lelystad, Noordoostpolder, Urk, Zeewolde

Het spijt mij dat ik nog altijd moet spreken van de Zuiderzee en dat het der vorige Regering niet gegeven is om die in eene provincie Flevoland te herscheppen. Ik hoop dat deze Regering krachtig het verdienstelijke werk van hare voorgangster zal voortzetten en wij ons binnen kort over de aanwinst van eene nieuwe provincie zullen verheugen.

1877 December 6, Daniël van Eck, quotee, Handelingen Tweede Kamer 1877-1878, Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal, page 192:

I regret that I still have to speak of the Zuiderzee and that it was not possible for the previous Government to transform it into a province of Flevoland. I hope that this Government will vigorously continue the meritorious work of its predecessor and that we will soon rejoice in the acquisition of a new province.

Flevoland, a province of the Netherlands


Friesland

From Fries (“Frisian, pertaining to Frisia”) and land (“land, country”).

Meronyms: Achtkarspelen, Ameland, Dantumadiel, De Fryske Marren, Harlingen, Heerenveen, Leeuwarden, Noardeast-Fryslân, Ooststellingwerf, Opsterland, Schiermonnikoog, Smallingerland, Súdwest-Fryslân, Terschelling, Tytsjerksteradiel, Vlieland, Waadhoeke, Weststellingwerf

Friesland, a province of the Netherlands


Gelderland

Meronyms: Aalten, Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Barneveld, Berg en Dal, Berkelland, Beuningen, Bronckhorst, Brummen, Buren, Culemborg, Doesburg, Doetinchem, Druten, Duiven, Ede, Elburg, Epe, Ermelo, Harderwijk, Hattem, Heerde, Heumen, Lingewaard, Lochem, Maasdriel, Montferland, Neder-Betuwe, Nijkerk, Nijmegen, Nunspeet, Oldebroek, Oost Gelre, Oude IJsselstreek, Overbetuwe, Putten, Renkum, Rheden, Rozendaal, Scherpenzeel, Tiel, Voorst, Wageningen, West Betuwe, West Maas en Waal, Westervoort, Wijchen, Winterswijk, Zaltbommel, Zevenaar, Zutphen

Gelderland (a province of the Netherlands)


Overijssel

[ˌoːvəˈrɛi̯səɫ]

From Middle Dutch ōverīsel, perhaps from Middle Low German overisel. Equivalent to a univerbation of over + IJssel.

Meronyms: Almelo, Borne, Dalfsen, Deventer, Dinkelland, Enschede, Haaksbergen, Hardenberg, Hellendoorn, Hengelo, Hof van Twente, Kampen, Losser, Oldenzaal, Olst-Wijhe, Ommen, Raalte, Rijssen-Holten, Staphorst, Steenwijkerland, Tubbergen, Twenterand, Wierden, Zwartewaterland, Zwolle

Overijssel (a province of the Netherlands)


Zeeland

→ English: Zealand

From Middle Dutch sêelant. Equivalent to zee (“sea”) + land (“land”) or from zeeland (“coastal land”).

Meronyms: Borsele, Goes, Hulst, Kapelle, Middelburg, Noord-Beveland, Reimerswaal, Schouwen-Duiveland, Sluis, Terneuzen, Tholen, Veere, Vlissingen


Groningen

First attested as groningi in the 10th or 11th century. Etymology uncertain. Potentially derived from Old Dutch Grôn (a personal name) or Groni (a personal name) suffixed with the collectivising suffix -ing-. A derivation from a hydronym *Gron suffixed with -ing- is less likely. Compare Groeningen.
The province was named after the city.
See also Dutch Low Saxon Grunnen.

Meronyms: Eemsdelta, Groningen, Het Hogeland, Midden-Groningen, Oldambt, Pekela, Stadskanaal, Veendam, Westerkwartier, Westerwolde

Groningen (a province of the Netherlands)


Utrecht

→ English: Utrecht velvet

→ French: velours d’Utrecht

→ Portuguese: Utreque

desc

→ Chinese: → 烏得勒支／乌得勒支 (Wūdélèzhī) (transliteration)

From Middle Dutch utrecht, from Old Dutch [Term?], from Old Dutch ūt (“outside”) + Latin Traiectum, the name of the original Roman fort around which the city was built, a name meaning "crossing," from the verb traicio (“I go across, transfer”).

Meronyms: Amersfoort, Baarn, Bunnik, Bunschoten, De Bilt, De Ronde Venen, Eemnes, Houten, IJsselstein, Leusden, Lopik, Montfoort, Nieuwegein, Oudewater, Renswoude, Rhenen, Soest, Stichtse Vecht, Utrecht, Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Veenendaal, Vijfheerenlanden, Wijk bij Duurstede, Woerden, Woudenberg, Zeist


Istanbul

Borrowed from Turkish İstanbul, corruption of Byzantine Greek εἰς τὴν Πόλιν (eis tḕn Pólin, “to the City”).

der

εἰς τὴν Πόλιν


Luik

From Middle Dutch Lûdeke. Perhaps ultimately from Proto-Germanic *liudiz (“people”).


Namen

Namur, a province of Belgium, named after its above capital city


Luxemburg

nl-proper noun

Luxemburg n (adjective Luxemburgs, demonym Luxemburger m or Luxemburgse f)

Luxemburgs (adjective)
Luxemburger (demonym masculine)
Luxemburgse (demonym feminine)

Afrikaans: Luxemburg

→ Indonesian: Luksemburg

Luxembourg (a small country in Western Europe)

Luxembourg (a province of Wallonia, Belgium)

Luxembourg, Luxembourg City (the capital city of Luxembourg)

Luxembourg (One of the twelve cantons of the country of Luxembourg, which includes its capital city)


Antwerpen

From Medieval Latin Antwerpo, which, if of Germanic origin, like Frankish or Old Frisian, could be from Proto-West Germanic *anda- (“against”) + a noun derived from *werpan (“to throw”), meaning something like "land thrown up at something, "alluvial deposit."
Folk etymology derived it from handwerpen (“hand-throwing”), from hand + werpen, referring to a giant in Flemish legend named Antigoon, said to sever and fling the hands of any boatmen of the Scheldt who did not pay his toll. More at Antwerp.

Laten we naar Antwerpen gaan.

Meronyms: Aartselaar, Antwerpen, Arendonk, Baarle-Hertog, Balen, Beerse, Berlaar, Boechout, Bonheiden, Boom, Bornem, Borsbeek, Brasschaat, Brecht, Dessel, Duffel, Edegem, Essen, Geel, Grobbendonk, Heist-op-den-Berg, Hemiksem, Herentals, Herenthout, Herselt, Hoogstraten, Hove, Hulshout, Kalmthout, Kapellen, Kasterlee, Kontich, Laakdal, Lier, Lille, Lint, Malle, Mechelen, Meerhout, Merksplas, Mol, Mortsel, Niel, Nijlen, Olen, Oud-Turnhout, Putte, Puurs-Sint-Amands, Ranst, Ravels, Retie, Rijkevorsel, Rumst, Schelle, Schilde, Schoten, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Stabroek, Turnhout, Vorselaar, Vosselaar, Westerlo, Wijnegem, Willebroek, Wommelgem, Wuustwezel, Zandhoven, Zoersel, Zwijndrecht


Oost-Vlaanderen

Meronyms: Aalst, Aalter, Assenede, Berlare, Beveren, Brakel, Buggenhout, Deinze, Denderleeuw, Dendermonde, De Pinte, Destelbergen, Eeklo, Erpe-Mere, Evergem, Gavere, Gent, Geraardsbergen, Haaltert, Hamme, Herzele, Horebeke, Kaprijke, Kluisbergen, Kruibeke, Kruisem, Laarne, Lebbeke, Lede, Lierde, Lievegem, Lochristi, Lokeren, Maarkedal, Maldegem, Melle, Merelbeke, Moerbeke, Nazareth, Ninove, Oosterzele, Oudenaarde, Ronse, Sint-Gillis-Waas, Sint-Laureins, Sint-Lievens-Houtem, Sint-Martens-Latem, Sint-Niklaas, Stekene, Temse, Waasmunster, Wachtebeke, Wetteren, Wichelen, Wortegem-Petegem, Zele, Zelzate, Zottegem, Zulte, Zwalm


West-Vlaanderen

Meronyms: Alveringem, Anzegem, Ardooie, Avelgem, Beernem, Blankenberge, Bredene, Brugge, Damme, Deerlijk, De Haan, Dentergem, De Panne, Diksmuide, Gistel, Harelbeke, Heuvelland, Hooglede, Houthulst, Ichtegem, Ieper, Ingelmunster, Izegem, Jabbeke, Knokke-Heist, Koekelare, Koksijde, Kortemark, Kortrijk, Kuurne, Langemark-Poelkapelle, Ledegem, Lendelede, Lichtervelde, Lo-Reninge, Menen, Mesen, Meulebeke, Middelkerke, Moorslede, Nieuwpoort, Oostende, Oostkamp, Oostrozebeke, Oudenburg, Pittem, Poperinge, Roeselare, Ruiselede, Spiere-Helkijn, Staden, Tielt, Torhout, Veurne, Vleteren, Waregem, Wervik, Wevelgem, Wielsbeke, Wingene, Zedelgem, Zonnebeke, Zulenkerke, Zwevegem


Kandahar

der

Pashto کندهار

Kandahar (a city and province in southern Afghanistan)


Noord-Holland

desc

→ French: Hollande-Septentrionale (calque)

→ Italian: Olanda Settentrionale (calque)

→ Latin: Hollandia Septentrionalis (calque)

→ Portuguese: Holanda do Norte (calque)

→ Spanish: Holanda Septentrional (calque)

Meronyms: Aalsmeer, Alkmaar, Amstelveen, Amsterdam, Bergen, Beverwijk, Blaricum, Bloemendaal, Castricum, Den Helder, Diemen, Dijk en Waard, Drechterland, Edam-Volendam, Enkhuizen, Gooise Meren, Haarlem, Haarlemmermeer, Heemskerk, Heemstede, Heiloo, Hilversum, Hollands Kroon, Hoorn, Huizen, Koggenland, Landsmeer, Laren, Medemblik, Oostzaan, Opmeer, Ouder-Amstel, Purmerend, Schagen, Stede Broec, Texel, Uitgeest, Uithoorn, Velsen, Waterland, Wijdemeren, Wormerland, Zaanstad, Zandvoort

North Holland, a province of the Netherlands


Zuid-Holland

Meronyms: Alblasserdam, Albrandswaard, Alphen aan den Rijn, Barendrecht, Bodegraven-Reeuwijk, Capelle aan den IJssel, Delft, Den Haag, Dordrecht, Goeree-Overflakkee, Gorinchem, Gouda, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, Hillegom, Hoeksche Waard, Kaag en Braassem, Katwijk, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Krimpenerwaard, Lansingerland, Leiden, Leiderdorp, Leidschendam-Voorburg, Lisse, Maassluis, Midden-Delfland, Molenlanden, Nieuwkoop, Nissewaard, Noordwijk, Oegstgeest, Papendrecht, Pijnacker-Nootdorp, Ridderkerk, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Schiedam, Sliedrecht, Teylingen, Vlaardingen, Voorne aan Zee, Voorschoten, Waddinxveen, Wassenaar, Westland, Zoetermeer, Zoeterwoude, Zuidplas, Zwijndrecht

South Holland, a province of the Netherlands


Vlaams-Brabant

Meronyms: Aarschot, Affligem, Asse, Beersel, Begijnendijk, Bekkevoort, Bertem, Bever, Bierbeek, Boortmeerbeek, Boutersem, Diest, Dilbeek, Drogenbos, Galmaarden, Geetbets, Glabbeek, Gooik, Grimbergen, Haacht, Halle, Herent, Herne, Hoegaarden, Hoeilaart, Holsbeek, Huldenberg, Kampenhout, Kapelle-op-den-Bos, Keerbergen, Kortenaken, Kortenberg, Kraainem, Landen, Lennik, Leuven, Liedekerke, Linkebeek, Linter, Londerzeel, Lubbeek, Machelen, Meise, Merchtem, Opwijk, Oud-Heverlee, Overijse, Pepingen, Roosdaal, Rotselaar, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Sint-Genesius-Rode, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Steenokkerzeel, Ternat, Tervuren, Tielt-Winge, Tienen, Tremelo, Vilvoorde, Wemmel, Wezembeek-Oppem, Zaventem, Zemst, Zoutleeuw


Noord-Brabant

Meronyms: Alphen-Chaam; Altena; Asten; Baarle-Nassau; Bergeijk; Bergen op Zoom; Bernheze; Best; Bladel; Boekel; Boxtel; Breda; Cranendonck; Deurne; Dongen; Drimmelen; Eersel; Eindhoven; Etten-Leur; Geertruidenberg; Geldrop-Mierlo; Gemert-Bakel; Gilze en Rijen; Goirle; Halderberge; Heeze-Leende; Helmond; Heusden; Hilvarenbeek; Laarbeek; Land van Cuijk; Loon op Zand; Maashorst; Meierijstad; Moerdijk; Nuenen, Gerwen en Nederwetten; Oirschot; Oisterwijk; Oosterhout; Oss; Reusel-De Mierden; Roosendaal; Rucphen; 's-Hertogenbosch; Sint-Michielsgestel; Someren; Son en Breugel; Steenbergen; Tilburg; Valkenswaard; Veldhoven; Vught; Waalre; Waalwijk; Woensdrecht; Zundert

North Brabant, a province of the Netherlands


Kaapprovincie

Compound of kaap (“cape (as in Kaap de Goede Hoop (“Cape of Goof Hope”))”) + provincie (“province”).

compound

cape (as in <i class="Latn mention" lang="nl">Kaap de Goede Hoop</i> (“Cape of Goof Hope”))

A province of South Africa. Capital: Cape Town

one of four constitutive provinces in the colonial and Apartheid era

one of more after the dismantling of Apartheid