Kathay
Kathay, also spelled Cathay, is a historical exonym for China used in Europe and Western contexts from the 13th to the 19th century. The form Kathay appears in older English texts as an alternative to Cathay, with both terms deriving from travelers and translators who rendered East Asian place names into Latin and vernacular languages.
Etymology: The exact origin is debated, but the term entered Western lexicons through Persian and Central Asian
Geographic and cultural scope: In practice, the exonym sometimes referred specifically to northern China or to
Decline and legacy: By the late 18th and 19th centuries, Western scholars largely adopted the name China,