Etymology

From a common Semitic source; compare Arabic مِصْر ‎(miṣr) and Ugaritic 𐎎𐎕𐎗𐎎 ‎(mṣrm). The ending is the standard dual form, perhaps related to the ancient conceptualization of Egypt as two realms: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Connections have also been drawn to מֶצֶר ‎(métser, “border, limit”) and מיצר \ מֵצַר ‎(meitsár, “sea strait”).