Chiapa

English

Etymology

From Spanish Chiapa, from the local Chiapaneca people, from Chiapan -eco (“-ic, -ish”): forming demonyms), from Classical Nahuatl Chiapan, from chia (“chia, oilseed”) either -pan (“upon; place of; place of the”) or -apan (“river, stream”), presumably in reference to the Grijalva.

Proper noun

Chiapa

1. Clipping of Chiapa de Corzo.
2. (historical) Former name of San Cristóbal de las Casas.
   • 1771, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1st ed., Vol. II, p. 183:

     CHIAPA, the capital of a province of the same name in Mexico, situated about 300 miles east of Acapulco: W. long. 98°, and N. lat. 16° 30′.

3. Obsolete form of Chiapas, a Mexican province.