The name "Siem Reap" can be translated to mean 'defeat of Siam' (siem in Khmer), and is commonly taken as a reference to an incident in the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and Khmer kingdoms, although this is probably apocryphal.
The name "Siem Reap" is derived from the Khmer word for "defeat of Siam," which reflects the historical rivalry between the Siamese and Khmer kingdoms, although its accuracy as a historical reference is debated.