Toponym

Toponym is a noun that refers to a geographical name used as a word. Our word of the day is derived from the Greek word topo (TOPO) which means ‘place’ and onym (OH nim) meaning ‘name.’ It can be used to to simply mean the name of a place like ‘India’ or ‘Cleveland.’ Or it can be used to refer to a geographical name that was later used as a word, like the term ‘A Queensborough mayor.’ Here’s an example of the later: I was hoping our city would someday become a toponym for ‘utopia,’ but instead we became nationally known for our high crime rate. Well, at least we’re on the map for something.