The term "Asia" is believed to originate in the Bronze Age placename Assuwa () which originally referred only to a portion of northwestern Anatolia.
ðə tˈɜːm "ˈeɪʒə" ɪz bᵻlˈiːvd tʊ ɚɹˈɪdʒᵻnˌeɪt ɪnðə bɹˈɑːnz ˈeɪdʒ plˈeɪsneɪm ɐsˈuːwə wˌɪtʃ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəli ɹᵻfˈɜːd ˈoʊnli tʊ ɐ pˈoːɹʃən ʌv nɔːɹθwˈɛstɚn ˌænɐtˈoʊliə.