Ankara

Origin

Borrowed from Turkish Ankara and Ottoman Turkish آنقره (Ankara), from Byzantine Greek and Ancient Greek Ἄγκυρα (Ánkura), from ἄγκυρα (ánkura, “anchor, hook”) in reference to the bend in the Çölova River before it merges with the Cubuk to become the Ankara but probably also calquing a local name ultimately derived from Hittite 𒌷𒀭𒆪𒉿 (Ankuwa), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enk- (“elbow, bend, curve”). The river and province are named for the city. Doublet of Angora, angle, and anchor.