Etymology of Catherine / Katherine.

Origin of Catherine / Katherine.
Katherine is a feminine name, which comes from the Greek name Aikaterine (Αικατερίνη), of debated origin and meaning.

Theories include:
a) from the Greek Katharsis (see Aristotle’s Poetics), meaning to purge or to cleanse -pure/purity of emotion

b) from the Greek word hekáteros (ἑκάτερος), meaning each of the two, singly

c) from the Greek goddess Hecate.

d) from the Greek word aikía (αἰκία ) injurious treatment

The Latin-speaking Romans, through folk etymology, associated the name with the Greek katharós (καθαρός) pure, which led to the variant spelling Katharine/Katharina.

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Other forms of the name:

Romeika (Modern Greek): Aikaterine (Αἰκατερίνη ) Katerina, Katina, Katia

English: Caitlin, Caitlyn, Caren, Carin, Cate, Cathanne, Catharine, Catherin, Catherine, Cathie, Cathleen, Cathryn, Cathy, Kaety, Kait, Kaitlin, Kaitlyn, Kaity, Karena, Karen, Karyn, Kate, Katelin, Katharine, Katherina, Katheryn ,Kathy, Kathi, Kathie, Kathleen, Kathlyn, Kathryn, Kathy, Katie, Katlyn, Katrina, Katy

French: Carine, Catant, Cathanne, Cathareau, Catherine, Katrin

German: Cathrin, Catrin, Karin, Karen, Katarina, Katarine, Katharina, Katharine, Katherina, Kathrin, Katinka, Katrin, Katrina

Italian: Catarina, Caterina

Spanish: Catalina, Catarina, Catherina

Russian: Jekaterina, Katerina, Katia, Katinka, Katushka, Katya, Yekaterina

Turkish: Akaterina, Katarina

Welsh: Cadi, Catrin

Irish: Cáit, Caitlín, Caitria, Caitrín, Caitríona, Catherine, Cathleen, Catraoine

Danish: Caja, Catja

Swedish: Cajsa, Catharina, Cathrine ,Catrine, Kai, Kajsa, Karin, Katrina

Portoguese: Carina, Catarina, Caterina, Cátia

Roumanian: Cătălina, Catina, Catinca, Ecaterina

Catalan: Caterina

Dutch: Catharina, Cato, Kaatje

Bulgarian: Ekaterina, Katerina

Armenian:Gadara, Gadarine, Kadara, Kadarine

Georgian: Ekaterine

 

BTN

WKP

OED

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St Catherine

(Monastery of St Catherine at Mount Sinai: http://www.sinaimonastery.com/)

Post 135.

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