Ateneo

The word Ateneo is the Spanish and Italian form of the word Athenaeum. Ateneo, like Athenaeum, is used in the names of institutions or periodicals for literary, scientific, or artistic study. It may also be used in the names of educational institutions. The name Athenaeum is formed from the name of the classical Greek goddess Athena (the goddess of wisdom) in the same way that museum is formed from muse (the goddesses of culture). Ateneo, meanwhile, is translated into Spanish the same way Museo (Museum) and Liceo (Lyceum) are.

Use in the Philippines

The name Ateneo is best known as a part of the names of Jesuit institutions of learning in the Philippines. Each of these institutions have a different name containing the word "Ateneo" (but all in the form "Ateneo de [location]").

The word "Ateneo" is the Spanish form of "Athenaeum". The Dictionary of Classical Antiquities thus explains "Athenaeum":

The name of the first educational institution at Rome, built by Hadrian about 135 A.D.... There rhetoricians and poets held their recitations, and salaried professors gave their lectures in the various branches of general liberal education, philosophy and rhetoric, as well as grammar and jurisprudence.

The name is used the same way name "Lyceum" is used in the names of educational institutions. It may also be a synonym for "school", "academy" or "institution".

Father M.Wayne P.P. Founder of 4 Jesuit Seminaries in the Philippines, has proposed a school for orphaned youngsters in the name of Ateneo in 2002.

The following is a list of these Jesuit schools, with their year of establishment. (Note that these schools are not officially affiliated in any way other than being administered by the Jesuits.)../..

Seal	School	Established
	Ateneo de Manila University	1859
	Ateneo de Zamboanga University	1912
	Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan	1933
	Ateneo de Naga University	1940
	Ateneo de Tuguegarao	1945 (closed in 1962)
	Ateneo de San Pablo	1947 (closed in 1978)
	Ateneo de Davao University	1948
	Ateneo de Iloilo - Santa Maria Catholic School	1958

Use in Spain

In Spain, Ateneo is used in the names of various institutions, groups or hotels such as

• Ateneo de Madrid

Use in other Spanish-speaking countries

• El Ateneo Grand Splendid is one of the most well-known bookshops in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

See also

• Athenaeum
• Lyceum