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Origin and history of Catalan


Catalan(adj.)

"pertaining to Catalonia," also as a noun, "person from Catalonia," late 15c., from the indigenous name, which is said to be of Celtic origin and probably mean "chiefs of battle." But as the name is not attested before 11c., it perhaps is a Medieval Latin form of *Gothlandia "land of the Goths." As a noun meaning "a Catalan," Middle English used Cateloner (mid-14c.), Catellain (early 15c., from French). As a language name in English by 1792.

also from late 15c.

Entries linking to Catalan


Catalonian(adj.)

1707, from Catalonia (see Catalan) + -ian.

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    More to explore


    tilde
    1864, from Spanish, metathesis of Catalan title, from vernacular form of Medieval Latin titulus "stroke over an abridged...
    lozenge
    It has cognates in Spanish losange, Catalan llosange, Italian lozanga, but the origin is disputed....pre-Roman Celtic language, perhaps Iberian *lausa or Gaulish *lausa "flat stone" (compare Provençal lausa, Spanish losa, Catalan...
    cherish
    The Latin word also is the source of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese caro; Old Provençal, Catalan car....
    aubergine
    "fruit of the eggplant" (Solanum esculentum), 1775, from French aubergine, from Catalan alberginera (showing typical change...
    crush
    Italian crosciare, Catalan cruxir, Spanish crujir "to crack, creak" are Germanic loan-words....
    mesel
    Also from Latin misellus are Old Italian misello "sick, leprous," Catalan mesell "sick."...
    mattress
    Arabic al-matrah "(the) large cushion or rug for lying on" (also source of Spanish almadraque "mattress," Provençal and Catalan-Latin...
    Spaniard
    c. 1400, from Old French Espaignart, from Espaigne "Spain," from Latin Hispania, from Greek Hispania "Spain," Hispanos "Spanish, a Spaniard," which are probably from Celt-Iberian, in which language (H)i- is said to represent a definite article [Klein, who compares Hellenistic Gre
    romance
    c. 1300, romaunce, "a story, written or recited, in verse, telling of the adventures of a knight, hero, etc.," often one designed principally for entertainment, from Old French romanz "verse narrative" (Modern French roman), also "the vulgar language." It was originally an adverb
    Islam
    "religious system revealed by Muhammad," 1816, from Arabic islam, literally "submission" (to the will of God), from root of aslama "he resigned, he surrendered, he submitted," causative conjunction of salima "he was safe," and related to salam "peace." ... Islam is the only majo

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    Dictionary entries near Catalan

    • cataclasm
    • cataclysm
    • cataclysmic
    • catacomb
    • catafalque
    • Catalan
    • catalectic
    • catalepsy
    • cataleptic
    • catalog
    • catalogue
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