Sikkim
/ˈsɪkɪm/ name
name ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Proper Noun
- 1 A state in eastern India. Capital: Gangtok.
- 2 A former country in South Asia that existed from the 17th century until its annexation by India in 1975. Official name: Kingdom of Sikkim. historical
Etymology
Borrowed from Sikkimese སུ་ཁྱིམ (su khyim); The most widely accepted theory is that it is a combination of two Limbu words: su, which means "new", and khyim, which means "palace" or "house". The name is believed to be a reference to the palace built by the state's first ruler, Phuntsog Namgyal.