Zayton
English
Alternative forms
- Zeitoun, Zaitun, Zaytun, Zaytoun, Zeytoun
Etymology
From Arabic زَيْتُون (zaytūn, “olive”), a calque of Quanzhou's former Chinese nickname 刺桐城 (“Tung Tree City”), after the trees which had been extensively planted there in the 10th century by Liu Congxiao.[1]
Proper noun
Zayton
- (historical geography) A major but poorly known medieval port of Fujian in China, variously intending Quanzhou and Zhangzhou in different sources.
References
- Kauz, Ralph. Aspects of the Maritime Silk Road, p. 145.