Venezuela (Spanish)

Where does "Venezuela" come from?

The name Venezuela originates from the Old Spanish word 'Venecia', meaning Venice, combined with the diminutive suffix '-uela'. It was coined by Spanish explorers who observed stilt houses in the region, which reminded them of the canal-filled city of Venice, essentially naming the land 'Little Venice'.

Full etymology tree

• Venezuela (Spanish), 'Venezuela (a country in South America)'
  • inherited Veneçuela (Old Spanish)
    • derived Venecia (Old Spanish)
    • affix -uela (Spanish), 'female equivalent of -uelo'

Ancestors

• -uela (Spanish)

Updated July 2026

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