jamaica (English)

Where does "jamaica" come from?

The English word 'jamaica', used to denote the roselle plant, is borrowed directly from the Spanish term 'jamaica'[1]. This Spanish word is itself named after the island of Jamaica[2]. The island name originates from the Taíno phrase 'Xaymaca', which translates to 'land of wood and water'[3]. This final meaning is derived from the Taíno word 'maca', meaning 'wood'[3].

Open questions

• The derivation of the island name Jamaica from Taíno Xaymaca is widely accepted but relies on historical linguistic reconstructions of the extinct Taíno language. [3]

Full etymology tree

• jamaica (English), 'roselle'
  • derived Jamaica (Spanish), 'Jamaica (an island and country in the Caribbean)'
    • derived Xaymaca (Taíno)
      • derived maca (Taíno), 'tree'

Ancestors

• jamaica (Spanish)

Sources

1. jamaica (English) - Wiktionary
2. jamaica (Spanish) - Wiktionary
3. Jamaica (English) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris