attila
/əˈtɪlə/ noun, proper noun
Forms attilas
- noun A short, fringed cape worn as part of traditional Hungarian costume.
- noun Any of the tropical flycatchers of the genus Attila.
- proper noun (historical) A king of the tribes of Huns.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἀττίλα (Attíla), of uncertain further origin. Traditionally thought to have been derived from East Germanic, such as a Gothic *𐌰𐍄𐍄𐌹𐌻𐌰 (*attila, literally “little father”), from 𐌰𐍄𐍄𐌰 (atta, “father”) + -𐌹𐌻𐌰 (-ila). Displaced native Old English Ætla.
A more recent explanation by Bonnman-Fries (2025) suggests a Yeniseian origin, specifically an Arinic language. The proper name is explained as deriving from a Common Yeniseian adjective complex *atɨ-λa (“quite swift, quite fast”); see there for more. Compare also Bactrian Χιγγιλο (Khingilo), Brahmi 𑀔𑀺𑀗𑁆𑀕𑀺𑀮 (Khiṇgila), the name of a leader of the Alchon Huns, which could prove that the diminutive -ila is of Hunnic origin.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “attila”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details