# Europe/Asia/Africa **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 12, 1999, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-asia-africa/3870 "1999-10-12T15:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 1999, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-asia-africa/3870/1 "1999-10-12T15:32:00Z")
Supposedly the Greeks came up with these names. Anyone know what they mean? Europe was probably named after Europa, but why? I seem to recall the root “Asia” means “East,” but I could be imagining it. I have not seen any source for “Africa.” ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 1999, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-asia-africa/3870/2 "1999-10-12T15:38:00Z")
I have heard that “Africa” comes from the Greek meaning “not cold.” I saw a PBS show which claimed “Asia” meant “that land over there.” But it was hosted by Michael Wood, so I’m dubious. I too have wondered why Europa rates a continent. And any minute now, someone will find the link to Cecil’s column… ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 1999, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-asia-africa/3870/3 "1999-10-12T16:57:00Z")
Asia and Africa were the names of Roman provinces in modern Turkey and Libya, respectively. “Libya” was what the greeks called Africa, the continent. I don’t know what they called Europe and Asia. And yes, Cecil did cover this. I believe that it’s in his first book. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-asia-africa/3870/4 "1999-10-13T05:09:00Z")
Neuro: Read the OP very carefully. The questions I axed were not addressed in Cecil’s series. He did address Europe/Asia/continent/region questions–but not mineses (pronounced “mine-zizz,” Southern for “mine”). ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-asia-africa/3870/5 "1999-10-13T05:24:00Z")
EB to the rescue: > [@](#): > > In antiquity, the Greeks are said to have called the continent Libya and the Romans to have called it **Africa** , perhaps from the Latin aprica (“sunny”) or the Greek aphrike (“without cold”) > [@](#): > > The name **Asia** is ancient, and its origin has been variously explained. … It is … believe[d] that the name may be derived from the Assyrian word asu, meaning “east.” Another possible explanation is that it was originally a local name given to the plains of Ephesus and gradually extended to include Anatolia and the rest of the continent. Still working on Europe… * * * “The world ends when I die. And as far as I’m concerned, the rest of the universe might as well call it a day too.” – Matt Groening ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 1999, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-asia-africa/3870/6 "1999-10-12T22:08:00Z")
Not that I’ve seriously looked into this, but I though “Africa” was derived from the arabic “Ifriquya”.