Does anyone have a good answer concerning the etymology of the name, Africa? Wikipedia suggests possibly from Afri, dwellers in caves along the coast, but I've also seen citations of its being named for some ancient goddess. What's most likely?
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. -J. Krishnamurti
Here is what the OED says about the etymology of African. I was surprised, but there is not an entry for Africa:
[OE. (only pl.) Africanas, ad. L. Afric{amac}nae, f. Africa, n. use of fem. (sc. terra land) of Africus, f. Afr{imac} (sg. Afer) ancient people of N. Africa; see -AN.]
Does anyone have a good answer concerning the etymology of the name, Africa?
I have never seen a convincing one. The Roman ethnonym [Afri (sg. Afer) might just as well have been a back-formation. And anyway you look at it, the name of the people has just as obscure an etymology.
