Croatian

en-adj

Croatian (comparative more Croatian, superlative most Croatian)

more Croatian (comparative)
most Croatian (superlative)

/ˌkɹəʊˈeɪ.ʃən/

/ˌkɹoʊˈeɪ.ʃən/

of or pertaining to Croatia, the Croatian people or their language


Croatian

/ˌkɹəʊˈeɪ.ʃən/

/ˌkɹoʊˈeɪ.ʃən/

An inhabitant of Croatia, or a person of Croatian descent.


Croatian

/ˌkɹəʊˈeɪ.ʃən/

/ˌkɹoʊˈeɪ.ʃən/

(historical) Serbo-Croatian in general, as spoken in Croatia.


Magyar

From Hungarian magyar, from Proto-Ugric *mańćɜ (“man, person”).


libra

libras (plural)
librae (plural)
contexts (Roman)

From Latin lībra (“pound”), partially via Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese libra. Doublet of lira, livre, libbre, liter, rottol, and arratel.

doublet

Ancient Roman units of measurement#Weight

pound

Portuguese contexts, but more often used for the arratel

(historical) A Roman unit of mass, usually equivalent to 327 g.

(historical) A traditional Spanish unit of mass, usually around 460 g.

(historical) A traditional Portuguese unit of mass, usually equivalent to 345 g and particularly used for trade in medicines.

(historical) Synonym of arratel, a separate Portuguese unit of mass, usually around 460 g.


Londinium

Unadapted borrowing from Latin Londinium. Doublet of London.

ubor

(poetic) Synonym of modern London: A city in England, United Kingdom


tartan

en-noun

tartan (countable and uncountable, plural tartans)

→ Catalan: tartà

→ Scottish Gaelic: tartan

Blend of Middle English tartaryn (“rich material”), from Middle French tartarin (“Tartar cloth”), and Middle French tiretaine (“cloth of mixed fibers”), from Old French tiret (“kind of cloth”), from tire (“oriental cloth of silk”), from Medieval Latin tyrius (“material from Tyre”), from Latin Tyrus (“Tyre”).

der

Coordinate term: flannel

A kind of woven woolen cloth with a distinctive pattern of colored stripes intersecting at right angles, associated with Scottish Highlanders, different clans and some Scottish families and institutions having their own distinctive patterns; clothing made from this material.

tartà

woollen cloth with a distinctive pattern


Gdansk

Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship#English

Alternative spelling of Gdańsk, the capital city of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland


Gdańsk

Borrowed from Polish Gdańsk. Doublet of Danzig.


Aberdonian

From Medieval Latin Aberdonia (“Aberdeen”) + -an.

(British English, Scotland, ethnography) A citizen or inhabitant of, or person born in, Aberdeen, NE Scotland.


ton

→ Tokelauan: tone, tane

Variant of tun (“cask”), influenced by Old French tonne (“ton”).

ton

various units of mass notionally equivalent to a tun

(colloquial, chiefly UK) Synonym of hundred, particularly

Synonym of hundred, particularly
100 pounds sterling.


zloty

en-noun

zloty (plural zloty or zlotys or zlote or zlotych or zloties)

zloty (plural)
zlotys (plural)
zlote (plural)
zlotych (plural)
zloties (plural)

The currency unit of Poland, divided into 100 groszy.


Isle of Man

An island and crown dependency of the United Kingdom in the Irish Sea, part of the British Isles but not of the United Kingdom.


Cambridge

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-Cambridge.wav

From Middle English Cantebrigge, Grentebrige, from Old English Grante bryċġ, Granta-briċġ, Grantanbryċġ (“Granta-bridge”). Granta is probably of Celtic origin, identified as Brythonic settlement, Cair Grauth. Doublet of Cam.
By Middle English when the name of the settlement had changed to "Cantebrigge" and eventually "Cambridge", the lower stretches of the River Granta were renamed Cam by back-formation from Cambridge.

Dorchester County
Dorchester County#English

A city, the county seat of Dorchester County, Maryland, United States.

Middlesex County
Middlesex County#English

A city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, famous for being the location of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was formerly one of the county seats.

A city, the county seat of Isanti County, Minnesota, United States.

A city, the county seat of Guernsey County, Ohio, United States.

A town and village in Lamoille County, Vermont, United States.


Bucharest

Borrowed from Russian Бухаре́ст (Buxarést), from Romanian București, from Bucur (personal name) + -ești (patronymic, personal name suffix).

bor+

The capital and largest city of Ilfov, Romania


złoty

A special working fund administered by the State Agricultural Bank was established to meet all expenses connected with the measures necessary for improving the agrarian structure of the country. In the beginning it amounted to 900,000,000 złotys. After a cancellation of part of its obligations due on small farms, the balance by December 31, 1938, was more than 667,000,000 złotys.

1945, Bernadotte E[verly] Schmitt, editor, Poland, Berkeley, Calif., Los Angeles, Calif.: University of California Press, pages 228–229:

Accordingly, if the estate is worth 90,000 złotys and the deceased leaves a widow A, and two children B and C, and B has already received 60,000 złotys, the calculation is as follows:- the value of a notional estate equals 150,000 złotys (90,000 + 60,000) and each share amounts to 50,000 złotys.

1973, D. Lasok, editor, Polish Civil Law, volume I, Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff, →ISBN, page 270:

Once in the field, the Sonderdienstmann received 90 złotys per month with a supplement of 11 złotys per month when on active duty outside the normal duty station. By the summer of 1941, Sonderdienst men were receiving benefits, including free housing and uniforms as well as an untaxed food allowance of 2.70 złotys per day.

2005, Peter Black, “The Sonderdienst”, in Pieter M. Judson, Marsha L. Rozenblit, editors, Constructing Nationalities in East Central Europe (Austrian and Habsburg Studies; volume 6), New York, N.Y., Oxford: Berghahn Books, →ISBN, page 250:

At one extreme, Symeon Szydłowski, the castellan of Żarnów, suggested exempting parish priests with less than 3,000 złotys from the new tax. At the other, Suchodolski protested that poor nobles with families on 500 złotys a year would also find defenders.

2012, Richard Butterwick, The Polish Revolution and the Catholic Church, 1788–1792: A Political History, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 92:


Big Ben

Ben Caunt
Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover
Big Ben

Disputed, possibly after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw the installation of the Great Bell, or after English boxer Ben Caunt.

Houses of Parliament
Houses of Parliament

The hour bell in the Elizabeth Tower (formerly known as the Clock Tower), adjacent to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, United Kingdom.


Luganda

Portmanteau of Ukrainian Луга́нськ (Luhánsʹk) or Russian Луганск (Lugansk) + Uganda. Alternatively borrowed directly from either Russian Луга́нда (Lugánda) or Ukrainian Луга́нда (Luhánda).

/luːˈɡɑːndə/

Coordinate term: Donbabwe

A novel abusive word for a resident of Lugansk "Lugan-don/Lugansk-condom" can be explained as either an agglutination of the two words "Lugansk" + "condom" or as a reference to a mythological country "Luganda" whose name comprises component "Lugansk" and "Uganda".

2019, Lorella Viola, Andreas Musolff, Migration and Media: Discourses about identities in crisis, →ISBN, Chapter 11, page 285:

Luhansk People's Republic
Luhansk People's Republic

(derogatory, humorous, Internet) Luhansk, in particular the mostly unrecognised Luhansk People's Republic.


Lombard

From Middle English Lombard, Lumbard, borrowed from Old French Lombard, Lombart (“a Lombard”), from Late Latin langobardus, longobardus (“a Lombard”), from Germanic, derived from the Proto-Germanic elements *langaz + *bardaz; equivalent to long + beard. Some sources derive the second element instead from Proto-Germanic *bardǭ, *barduz (“axe”), related to German Barte (“axe”). Doublet of Langobard. Compare longbeard. Compare with Old English Langbeardas (“Lombards”).

(historical) A member of a Germanic people who invaded Italy in the 6th century.


Lombard

en-proper noun

Lombard (countable and uncountable, plural Lombards)

A Romance language spoken in northern Italy and southern Switzerland.

Broadwater County
Broadwater County#English

A ghost town in Broadwater County, Montana, United States, named after A. G. Lombard.


Lombard

en-adj

Lombard (comparative more Lombard, superlative most Lombard)

more Lombard (comparative)
most Lombard (superlative)

Of or relating to Lombardy, or the inhabitants of Lombardy.


Asturian

Asturian (comparative more Asturian, superlative most Asturian)

more Asturian (comparative)
most Asturian (superlative)

This gave time to many families to escape; and Bermudo even carried away the bodies of his predecessors to the old refuge in the Asturian hills.

1878, Charlotte Mary Yonge, The story of the Christians and Moors of Spain, page 86:

Of or pertaining to the region of Asturias in Spain.


Asturian

To this day the Asturians say to each other "Have a care. Asturias is Spain. The rest is Araby."

2000, Richard Sterling, Allison Jones, Spain, Lonely Planet; World Food, page 145:


Asturian

The winning entry was a poem written in Asturian, one of the first such in Asturian literature.

2002, M. Teresa Turell, Multilingualism in Spain, page 167:

In Asturias/Asturies 18.3% of the respondents said they spoke Asturian always or most of the time with friends[…]

2007, Paolo Coluzzi, Minority language planning and micronationalism in Italy, page 272:

A Romance language spoken in Asturias, Spain.

阿斯图里亚斯语

Āsītúlǐyǎsī yǔ


anglo

(Southwestern US, informal, sometimes offensive) A North American, especially a white one (regardless of actual ethnicity), whose native language is English (as opposed to Americans who have another native language).

(Australia, informal) An Anglo-Australian (as opposed to Australians of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern background)

(nonstandard) A British person or person of British ancestry.


lira

lire (plural)
lira (plural)
liras (plural)

From Italian lira, from Latin lībra (partly via Turkish lira, Arabic لِيرَة (līra), Maltese lira, Greek λίρα (líra), and Hebrew לִירָה (“lirá”), all of which are originally from the Italian). Doublet of libra and livre.

The former currency of Italy, Malta, San Marino, Cyprus and the Vatican City, superseded by the euro


Manx

Manx (comparative more Manx, superlative most Manx)

more Manx (comparative)
most Manx (superlative)

Altered from Maniske, from assumed Old Norse *manskr, an adjectival form of Mǫn (“Isle of Man”), from Old Irish Mana; compare with Norwegian Bokmål mansk.
Also influenced by Manx Manninagh, an adjectival form of Mannin (“Isle of Man”), Isle of Man; cf Scottish Gaelic Manainneach and Irish Manannach.

Relating to the Isle of Man and/or its Celto-Germanic people.

manx

relating to the Isle of Man and/or its people


Manx

en-noun

Manx (countable and uncountable, plural Manx or Manxes)

A member or descendant of the Celto-Germanic people of the Isle of Man; a Manxman or Manxwoman.

A breed of domestic cat native to the Isle of Man, principally characterized by suppression of the tail, and with a short-haired coat and rounded, cobby body.


Manx

(uncountable) A Goidelic language spoken on the Isle of Man.

մեներեն

a Goidelic language spoken on the Isle of Man

the long-haired version of the Manx cat breed


FET

FET was the only legal party in Spain in the 60s.

(historical, politics) Ellipsis of FET y de las JONS (political party in Francoist Spain).


Åland

A region of Finland, consisting of the Aland archipelago.


steppe

steppe (countable and uncountable, plural steppes)

From German Steppe or French steppe, in turn from Russian степь (stepʹ, “flat grassy plain”). There is no generally accepted earlier etymology, but there is a speculative Old East Slavic reconstruction *сътепь (sŭtepĭ, “trampled place, flat, bare”), related to топот (topot), топтать (toptatĭ).

der

Nevertheless be it remarked, that even a Russian steppe has tumuli and gold ornaments […]

1831, Thomas Carlyle, “Preliminary”, in Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh. […], London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 3:

Enkidu was the hairy man of the wild steppes, and Gilgamesh was the hero of civilization; but now the contrast is between Gilgamesh, the king, the man of political power, the heroic man of action, the extrovert, and Utnapishtim, the man of religious authority, the introvert, the sage.

1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 187:

The grasslands of Eastern Europe and Asia. Similar to (North American) prairie and (African) savanna.

𒂔𒈾 ()

the grasslands of Eastern Europe and Asia


politburo

/ˈpɒlɪtˌbjʊəɹəʊ/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-politburo.wav

Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Joseph Stalin

Borrowed from Russian Политбюро́ (Politbjuró, “politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union”), a contraction of полити́ческое бюро́ (politíčeskoje bjuró, “political bureau”).

bor

The governing council and chief policymaking body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and other Marxist-Leninist political systems.

քաղբյուրո

governing council and chief policymaking body of a Marxist-Leninist political system


Scottish

From Middle English Scottich, from Old English Sċyttisċ, equivalent to Scot + -ish. Compare West Frisian Skotsk (“Scottish”), Dutch Schots (“Scottish”), German schottisch (“Scottish”), Danish skotsk (“Scottish”), Icelandic skoskur (“Scottish”). Doublet of Scotch and Scot.

(uncountable) short for Scottish English, the varieties of English spoken in Scotland.


gulag

Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic

Borrowed from Russian ГУЛА́Г (GULÁG), the acronym of Гла́вное управле́ние исправи́тельно-трудовы́х лагере́й (Glávnoje upravlénije ispravítelʹno-trudovýx lageréj, “Chief Administration of Corrective-Labor Camps”), the government agency in charge of the Soviet Union’s network of forced labour camps, which was established in 1918 and formally abolished in 1960: see GULAG.

One important difference between the GULAG system and the Nazi concentration camps was that a person sentenced to five years of hard labor in a Soviet labor camp could expect, assuming he or she survived, to be released at the end of the sentence.

[2006?], David Hosford, Pamela Kachurin, Thomas Lamont, “Day 1 Content Essay: The Establishment and Scope of the GULAG System”, in GULAG: Soviet Prison Camps and Their Legacy […], [U.S.A.]: National Park Service; Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-10-31, page 7, column 1:

(historical) Also GULAG: the system of all Soviet labour camps and prisons in use, especially during the Stalinist period (1930s–1950s).


transposition

en-noun

transposition (countable and uncountable, plural transpositions)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-transposition.wav

From Middle French transposition, from Medieval Latin transpositio.

(European Union) An incorporation of the provisions of a European Union directive into a Member State's domestic law.

tresposición

incorporation of the EU directive into domestic law

kansallisen lainsäädännön osaksi saattaminen


Danube

Hindi: डेन्यूब (ḍenyūb)

Korean: 다뉴브 (danyubeu)

Marathi: डॅन्यूब (ḍĕnyūb)

Thai: ดานูบ (daa-núup)

Urdu: ڈینیوب (ḍēn'yūb)

Vietnamese: Đa Nuýp

Attested since at least 1598 (also note Middle English Danby (“Danube”) att. in 15th c. Mandeville's Travels).
Borrowed from Middle French Danube, from Old French Danube, from Latin Dānubius, from Proto-Celtic *Dānowyos (compare Welsh river name Donwy), an extended form of the river-name *Dānu, from Proto-Indo-European *déh₂nu (“river, river goddess”), akin to *dʰenh₂- (“to set in motion; to flow”).
Cognate with Latin fōns (“spring”), Persian دنیدن (danidan, “to hasten, run”), Ossetian дон (don, “water, river”), Sanskrit धन्वति (dhánvati, “it flows, runs”). More at Danube.

cog

A river in Europe; flowing 2850 kilometers from the confluence of the Breg and Brigach at Donaueschingen, Germany, into the Black Sea in Romania.

Donou

river of Europe that flows to the Black Sea


crescent

From Middle English cressaunt, from Anglo-Norman cressaunt and Old French creissant (“crescent of the moon”) (French croissant), from Latin crēscēns, present active participle of crēscō (“arise, thrive”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱreh₁- (“to grow”). See Old Armenian սերիմ (serim, “be born”) and սերեմ (serem, “bring forth”), Ancient Greek κόρη (kórē, “girl”) and κούρος (koúros, “boy”), Latin creāre (“produce, create, bring forth”) and Ceres (“goddess of agriculture”). Doublet of croissant.
The pronunciation with /z/ is a comparatively recent innovation due to the influence of words such as pheasant and present.

der

1880, Elizabeth Stone, Sebastiani receives publicly the Sultan's thanks, and is decorated with the Order of the Crescent:

(historical) Any of three orders of knighthood conferred upon foreigners to whom Turkey might be indebted for valuable services.


punto

From Latin punctum (“point”) via Italian and Spanish punto, from pungō (“to prick, to puncture”). Doublet of point, punctum, and ponto.

(historical) A traditional small Spanish unit of length, equivalent to about 0.16 mm.


provost

From Middle English, from late Old English prōfost, prāfost, from Late Latin prōpositus, variant of Latin praepositus (“[one] placed in command”). In some senses, via Anglo-Norman provolt; via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost (modern French prévôt). As a Central European ecclesiastical office, via German Propst, Danish provst, etc.

steward

deputy overseeing medieval estates or fees

police officer

deputy overseeing medieval law enforcement; military police

One placed in charge: a head, a chief, particularly:

(religion) The minister of the chief Protestant church of a town or region in Germany, the Low Countries, and Scandinavia.

(UK, higher education) The head of various colleges and universities.

The repairs were completed in the summer of last year, more than ten months after the line had been closed, and the branch was re-opened on June 29, when Mr. T. F. Cameron, Chief Regional Officer, Scottish Region, received Provost J. S. Collin, of Eyemouth, at the station. The 12.42. p.m. train to Burnmouth was signalled out of the station by the Provost, after he had been introduced to the crew.

1950 January, “Re-Opening of the Eyemouth Branch”, in Railway Magazine, page 52:

A mayor: the chief magistrate of a town, particularly (Scotland) the head of a burgh or (historical) the former chiefs of various towns in France, Flanders, or (by extension) other Continental European countries.

pormestari

equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities


Euro-

Shortened unetymologically from Europe or Europo- in compounds. 20th-century formation, perhaps echoing terms like Afro-, Indo-, Sino- etc. An early attestation is the 1911 title The "Euro-Asian" or "Anglo-Indian", but the word Eurasian is attested in English from 1844. In finance, the term is a generalisation of Eurobond, which originally referred to bonds denominated in dollars but issued in Europe.

Pertaining to Europe, especially as a political entity.


canton

1530s, from Middle French canton, from Old French canton (“corner”); heraldic sense from the 1570s, geographic sense from c. 1600.

One of the states comprising the Swiss Confederation.

A subdivision of an arrondissement of France.


whisky

en-noun

whisky (countable and uncountable, plural whiskies)

Variant of usque, abbreviation of usquebaugh (compare obsolete whiskybae), from Scottish Gaelic uisge-beatha (“water of life”), calque of Medieval Latin aqua vitae. Compare akvavit, aquavit, aqua vitae, eau de vie, and water of life from the same source.

der

That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired.

1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter II, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

(Scotland, Canada, Australia) Alternative form of whiskey, an alcoholic liquor distilled from fermented grain, usually aged in oak barrels, (particularly) Scotch; a drink of this liquor.


whiskey

en-noun

whiskey (countable and uncountable, plural whiskeys or whiskies)

→ Jersey Dutch: wäski

→ Punjabi: ਵਿਸਕੀ (viskī)

→ Welsh: chwisgi

Variant of usque, abbreviation of usquebaugh, from Irish uisce beatha, calque of Medieval Latin aqua vītae (“water of life”). Compare akvavit, aquavit, aqua vitae, eau de vie, and water of life from the same source and vodka from a Russian diminutive for water in reference to the dilution of pure grain spirits.

der

LL-Q1860 (eng)-عُثمان (Middle river exports)-whiskey.wav

NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet
w:NATO Phonetic Alphabet

(international standards) Alternative letter-case form of Whiskey from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.


palazzo

Borrowed from Italian palazzo, from Latin palātium (“palace, large residence”), from Palātium (“Palatine”), one of the seven hills of Rome, where aristocrats built large homes. Doublet of palace and Pfalz.

Cecil Spenser's society—who soon shewed he could understand and enter into his views—became a source of great gratification, and his young countryman was almost domesticated at the palazzo.

1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Romance and Reality. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, pages 270–271:

At the piazzas, Romans are usually surrounded by tourists attracted by the classical palazzos, churches, monuments and fountains.

1990 May 20, Betty Martin, “A Couple of Ways of Viewing 'the Eternal City'”, in Los Angeles Times, archived from the original on 2013-06-30:

A large, palatial urban building in Italy.


antipasto

en-noun

antipasto (plural antipastos or antipasti)

Borrowed from Italian antipasto (“[food] before the meal”).

bor

The antipasto often features fettunta—thin slices of Tuscan bread toasted and salted (the bread itself is unsalted) and perhaps rubbed with garlic (you may prefer to rub it on for yourself, or not if you're due to discuss Uganda or have an interview with Silvio Berlusconi)

2009, Nicholas Belfrage, The Finest Wines of Tuscany and Central Italy, →ISBN, page 312:

An Italian starter for a meal; normally a cold assortment of salami, cheese, seafood, and vegetables.


leek

→ Maori: riki

From Middle English leke, leek, lek, from Old English lēac (“a garden herb, leek, onion, garlic”), from Proto-West Germanic *lauk, from Proto-Germanic *lauką *laukaz (“leek, onion”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewg- (“to bend”).
Cognate with Dutch look (“garlic, leek”), German Low German Look (“leek”), German Lauch (“leek, allium”), Danish løg (“onion”), Swedish lök (“onion”), Icelandic laukur (“onion, leek, garlic”). See garlic.

cog

Any of several species of Allium, broadly resembling the domesticated plant in appearance in the wild.


Belgrade

From French Belgrade, from Medieval Latin Belgradum and Belogradum, ultimately from South Slavic forms of Proto-Slavic *bělъ (“white”) and *gȏrdъ (“fortress, city”), after the white walls of its medieval fortress. Doublet of Beograd, Berat, and Belgorod.

Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro#English

The capital city of Serbia; former capital of Yugoslavia; former capital of Serbia and Montenegro.


dedo

From Spanish and Portuguese dedo (“digit, finger”), from Old Spanish and Old Galician-Portuguese dedo, from Latin digitus, from Proto-Indo-European *deyǵ- (“to show, to point out”).

der

(historical) A traditional short Portuguese unit of length, usually about equal to 1.8 cm.


Hogmanay

en-noun

Hogmanay (countable and uncountable, plural Hogmanays)

/ˈhɒɡməˌneɪ/

/ˌhɒɡməˈneɪ/

/ˈhɑɡməˌneɪ/

/ˌhɑɡməˈneɪ/

From Scots Hogmanay, probably from Old French aguillanneuf (“last day of the year”).

der

Each year the Hogmanay celebration and the Christmas market on Princes Street Gardens that accompanies it, together with the ever-growing international festival and fringe, eats up more and more of our public spaces.

2020 January 5, Kevin McKenna, “Rebel alliance ready to put a halt to the ‘disneyfication’ of Edinburgh”, in The Observer, →ISSN:


Scottish Gaelic

The Gaelic language of Scotland, spoken primarily in the northern and western parts of the country.


German Empire

(historical) The German state which existed, with Berlin as its capital, between 1871 and 1918.


Loch Ness monster

(cryptozoology) A large creature believed by some to inhabit Loch Ness in Scotland. It is said to have a long neck and one or more humps that protrude from the water.


Nessie

That flurry of activity had been set off by a magisterial book (Whyte, 1957), reinforced by Dinsdale’s filming of a Nessie (Dinsdale, 1961) and culminating in successful underwater photography (Rines et al., 1976) by the Academy of Applied Science (AAS). Nessies were assigned the taxonomic identity Nessiteras rhombopteryx (Anonymous, 1975).

2002, Henry H. B. Auer, “The Case for the Loch Ness 'Monster': The Scientific Evidence”, in Journal of Scientific Exploration, volume 16, number 2, pages 225–246:

And if it comes down to just one vote, we all know who will be called upon to break that tie. Go with your gut, Nessie. You do you, Nessie, you do you.

2014, Tim Carvell [et al.], “Scottish Independence”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 1, episode 17, John Oliver (actor), Warner Bros. Television, via HBO:

(informal, cryptozoology) The Loch Ness monster.


White Russian

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-White Russian.wav

(cocktail): The word white refers to the milk, while Russian refers to the vodka.

(obsolete) Of or relating to Belarus, literally "White Russia," or its language.


Devon

From Old English Defenas, which meant both "Devonians" and "Devon," exemplifying the common Anglo-Saxon practice of naming a place after the people who inhabit it.

A county of England bordered by Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, the Bristol Channel and the English Channel.


Alsatian

Even the dogs here are restrained, Jesse thought, unlike the feral Alsatians back home that would sprint barking from the bottom of the garden straight through the house and smash themselves against the inside of the door until their owners appeared and locked them away.

2020, Paul Mendez, Rainbow Milk, Dialogue Books (2021), page 56:

(Australia, New Zealand, British, dated US) A German shepherd dog.


samizdat

en-noun

samizdat (countable and uncountable, plural samizdats)

Borrowed from Russian самизда́т (samizdát, “self-publishing”), from сам (sam, “self”) + изда́т (izdát), an abbreviation of изда́тельство (izdátelʹstvo, “publishing house, publishing”) (compare Russian Госизда́т (Gosizdát, “State Publisher”)).

cog

[page 1] In a general sense any copy of a document which has been produced in the Soviet Union outside the chain of state publishing houses may be referred to as samizdat. […] [page 3] This term is modeled on the shortened form—gosizdat—of State Publishing House (Gosudarstvennoe Izdatel'stvo). […] According to Julius Telesin, a Russian writer who emigrated to Israel in 1970, the word samizdat occurs first in the late fifties when a Moscow poet, exasperated with the operation of the censorship system, bound together the typewritten sheets of his poems and wrote Samsebiaizdate ("Publishing House for Oneself") in the place where the name of the publishing house would normally appear. He also used the term samizdat with the same meaning but, as Telesin observes, samizdat ("self-publishing house") subsequently acquired a wider meaning.

1975, F[erdinand] J[oseph] M[aria] Feldbrugge, “Samizdat: Origins and Organization”, in Samizdat and Political Dissent in the Soviet Union, Leiden: A[lbertus] W[illem] Sijthoff, →ISBN, pages 1 and 3:

From a clandestine network of friends passing to each other typed copies of their new work, the initiative developed over the years into a parallel publishing system. […] [I]n cities the inquisitive reader did not have much difficulty in obtaining access to what was in fact a banned literature. Samizdat was also an important source of new writing for the equally active and enterprising publishers of Czech (and some Slovak) books in exile.

1992, Igor Hajek, “Samizdat Literature: An Introduction”, in Marketa Goetz-Stankiewicz, editor, Good-bye, Samizdat: Twenty Years of Czechoslovak Underground Writing, Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern University Press, →ISBN, page 4:

Indeed, internal criticism of the USSR from a Marxist perspective has been a continuing fact of Soviet life for decades. While [Joseph] Stalin held sway, this criticism was limited to clandestine and fugitive expressions, circulated orally or in samizdat.

2015, James P. Scanlan, “From Samizdat to Perestroika: The Soviet Marxist Critique of Soviet Society”, in Raymond C. Taras, editor, The Road to Disillusion: From Critical Marxism to Post-communism in Eastern Europe, London: Routledge, →ISBN:

Carter chose not to publish on doomsday, discussing it only in seminars where he thought it could get a fair hearing. In this way the doomsday argument began as a secret, almost samizdat doctrine, known to a few as the “Carter catastrophe.”

2019, William Poundstone, The Doomsday Calculation […] , Little, Brown, →ISBN:

Now liberal cultural power has increased, the ACLU doesn’t seem very interested in the liberties of non-progressives anymore, and Dr. Seuss sells as pricey samizdat.

2021 March 7, Ross Douthat, “Do Liberals Care if Books Disappear?”, in The New York Times:

(uncountable, often attributive) The secret copying and sharing of illegal publications, chiefly in the Soviet Union; underground publishing and its publications.


gata

A kind of pastry in Armenia and some neighboring countries.


media

Learned borrowing from Latin media, the feminine nominative of medius (“middle”, adjective), from Proto-Italic *meðjos, from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“between”). In the sense of a unit of dry measure, via Spanish media. Doublet of medium, medio, and mediate.

(historical) Synonym of cuarto: a half-fanega, a traditional Spanish unit of dry measure equivalent to about 27.8 L


media

en-noun

media (countable and uncountable, plural media or medias)

Burmese: မီဒီယာ (midiya)

Turkish: medya

Latinate plural of medium, particularly as a clipping of communications media and often reinterpreted as singular or mass noun, from Latin media, neuter plural form of medius (“middle”, adjective), from Proto-Italic *meðjos, from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“between”).

As a result of the rise of, first, television news and entertainment media and, second, web-based media, traditional print-based media has declined in popularity.

(often treated as uncountable) Means and institutions for publishing and broadcasting information.

وَسَائِل الْإِعْلَام

means and institutions for publishing and broadcasting information

Some celebrities dislike press conferences, where the media bombards them with questions.

(usually with a definite article; often treated as uncountable) The journalists and other professionals who comprise the mass communication industry.

وَسَائِل الْإِعْلَام

the journalists and other professionals who comprise the mass communication industry

(computing) Files and data comprising material viewable by humans, but usually not plain text; audiovisual material.


Nottingham

Inherited from Old English Snotingahām. The Normans found the consonant cluster /sn/ difficult to pronounce, so the initial S was dropped.

Baltimore County
Baltimore County#English

A number of places in the United States:

An unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland.

Prince George's County
Prince George's County#English

A small town in Prince George's County, Maryland.


clochard

He nearly fell over the Pont Neuf, enjoyed the conversation and esteem of several hairy clochards, and was finally knocked down by a taxi in the Place Vendôme […]

1978, Lawrence Durrell, Livia (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 492:

‘Those clochards in Cannes, mostly old soixante-huitards. They see a tribute to modern industrial genius and can't resist giving it a swift kick.’

2000, JG Ballard, Super-Cannes, Fourth Estate, published 2011, page 92:

A beggar or tramp, especially in France.


Troubles

Under McGlinchey's leadership, the INLA committed several atrocities and murders during the Troubles, resulting in the Co Derry native's imprisonment both north and south of the border.

2023 August 1, “Son of slain republicans brings actions”, in The Irish Times, page 4:

(Ireland, historical) The continued violence and terrorist, military and paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland that happened from the mid 1960s to the late 1990s.

na Trioblóidí

violence in Northern Ireland, 1960s–1990s


Odessa

Borrowed from Russian Оде́сса (Odéssa), named after an Ancient Greek settlement thought to have been located nearby. Ancient Greek Ὀδησσός (Odēssós). Compare Ukrainian Оде́са (Odésa). The city was on the former Turkish territory of Yedisan, which may have influenced the choice of name. Yedisan means "seven titles" ie tribes, from yedi + san.

Alternative form: Odesa

A port city and administrative center of Odessa Raion, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine, situated on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea.

Big Stone County
Big Stone County#English

A tiny city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States.

Lafayette County
Lafayette County#English

A city in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States.

A city, the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States.


Londoner

From Middle English Londonere, from Old English Lundenware, Lundenwaran pl (“Londoners”), from Lunden (“London”) + -ware pl (suffix denoting inhabitants), equivalent to London + -er (“inhabitant of”, demonymic suffix).

suf

But the raw material that the Underground had to work on - Londoners themselves - was possibly not of the best. In 1905 Charles Yerkes had said:
Londoners are the worst people to get a move on I ever knew. To see them board and get off a train one thinks they had a thousand years to do it in; still they are getting better, and in the end I shall work them down to an allowance of thirty seconds.

2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 214:

Khan countered this by alleging that 'unfair' conditions, such as raising council tax, are being attached to any new funding deal that would "punish Londoners" for the effect the pandemic has had on passenger numbers. He added: "These short-term deals are trapping TfL on life support rather than putting it on the path to long-term sustainability."

2022 January 12, “Network News: Further extension to Transport for London emergency funding”, in RAIL, number 948, page 8:

A person from, or an inhabitant of, London.


triskelion

en-noun

triskelion (plural triskelions or triskelia)

Coined c. 1881, as a diminutive of triskeles, specifically in numismatics to refer to minuscule forms of the symbol found on ancient coins. No direct derivation from Katharevousa τρισκέλιον (triskélion, “three-legged stool; rule of three, analogy”).

Sicily and the Isle of Man use triskelia as their emblems.

A figure composed of three interlocked spirals (or three bent human legs), with threefold rotational symmetry.

三曲腳圖

figure composed of three interlocked spirals, or three bent human legs


Faroese

/ˌfɛəɹəʊˈiːz/

From Faroe + -ese, from Faroese Føroyar.

Of or pertaining to the Faroe Islands, Faroese people or language.

ֆարերյան

of or pertaining to the Faroe Islands, Faroese people or language


Faroese

/ˌfɛəɹəʊˈiːz/

The language of the Faroe Islands, closely related to Icelandic, and more distantly to Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish.


Faroese

/ˌfɛəɹəʊˈiːz/

(chiefly in the plural) A person from the Faroe Islands; a Faroe Islander.


Trotskyism

international socialism
international socialism

permanent revolution
permanent revolution

The left-wing political philosophy named after and based on the ideas of Leon Trotsky that is characterized by international socialism, opposition to Stalinism, the theory of permanent revolution and the theory of the vanguard party.

تْرُوتْسْكِيَّة

left-wing political philosophy named after Leon Trotsky


brie

brie (countable and uncountable, plural bries)

Borrowed from French brie, after the region of Brie, from Gaulish *brigā, from Proto-Celtic *brigā (“hill, fortress”). Doublet of Brie; see also Bourgogne.

An originally French variety of soft cheese made from cow's milk.


Kraut

From German Kraut (“cabbage”), alluding to the use of cabbage as an ingredient in German cuisine (namely sauerkraut). First use appears c. 1833-1837, but popularized during the First and Second World Wars.

Those Krauts can't hurt you anymore. The only ones left are dead or dying.

1991, Art Spiegelman, Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began, New York: Pantheon Books, page 112:

(ethnic slur, offensive, derogatory, slang) A German.


Russian doll

When she opened it he saw her eyes flash to Simon's, saw the tremulous smile and the stroke of her finger down the painted face of the Russian doll. Those dolls that had other dolls inside.

2014, Fiona McArthur, Midwife's Mistletoe Baby, Harlequin, →ISBN, page 97:

One of a set of hollow nesting dolls, usually wooden and decorated.

マトリョーシカ人形

マトリョーシカにんぎょう


Bilbao

Borrowed from Spanish Bilbao, of Basque origin.

The largest city in the Basque Country, in northern Spain, and capital city of the province of Biscay, Spain.


Kerry

* As an English surname, from a personal name derived from Old Norse Kári.
* As an Irish surname, from Ó Ciardha (“descendant of Ciardha”), from ciar (“black”).

A county of Ireland. County seat: Tralee.


Scots

Borrowed from Scots Scots, from Middle Scots Scottis, from Old English Scottysċ, a late variant of earlier Scyttisċ (“Scottish”). Doublet of Scottish.

A Germanic language closely related to English and descended from northern dialects of Middle English, spoken in parts of Scotland, now especially in the northeastern and southern regions of the country.


Dutch courage

This dates back to a time of intense political rivalry between England and the Netherlands, and was originally an ethnic slur.

I was beginning to wish I'd had the sense to spend the last hour in a pub. Dutch courage would have been better than no courage at all.

2010, Minette Walters, The Shape of Snakes, Pan Macmillan, →ISBN:

(idiomatic) The courage or bravado induced by alcohol.

Another five minutes wait and we finally raise glasses in a toast to the evening. ‘So, what's the plan?’ ‘Well, we can go straight to the casino after this or we can get half a skinful of Dutch courage.’

2015, R.A. Barnes, Peril: A Ger Mayes Crime Novel, Marble City Publishing, →ISBN:

(idiomatic) An alcoholic drink, taken to bolster one's courage.


sextary

From Middle English sextarie, sextary, anglicized from Latin sextārius (“pint”). Doublet of sextarius.

The sextary seems to have contained 6 gallons, and is also used for cider and wine.

1866, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, volume 1, page 172:

(historical) An Anglo-Saxon unit of liquid measure, chiefly used for wine and cider.


vara

Borrowed from Spanish and Portuguese vara (“rod”), from Latin vāra (“fork”).

(historical) A traditional Portuguese unit of length, equivalent to about 1.1 m.


Karelian

A language closely related to Finnish, spoken in Karelia, Russia and Finland.


csardas

From Hungarian csárdás, adjectival form of csárda (“tavern”), from Ottoman Turkish چارطاق (çardak, “arbour, summerhouse”), from Persian چارتاق (čârtâq, “four-arch”), from چار (čâr, “four”) + طاق (tâq, “arch”).

der

`When you danced the czardas with Admiral Horthy?'

1958, Anthony Burgess, The Enemy in the Blanket (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 229:

An intricate Hungarian folk dance characterized by variations in tempo. The two main parts are called lassú (slow) and friss (quick).


Alps

→ Hindi: ऐल्प्स (ailps)

→ Japanese: アルプス (Arupusu)

→ Urdu: الپس (alps)

From Middle English Alpes, from Old English Alpis, ultimately from Latin Alpēs; in later use partly via French. Compare German Alpen (“alps”, plurale tantum), German Alp (“mountainous pasture”).

(usually with "the") A mountain range in Western Europe, running from France to Slovenia, the highest peak of which is Mont Blanc, at 4808 metres.


Black Sea

Calque of Ottoman Turkish قره دكز (Kara Deñiz, “Black Sea”) (modern Turkish Karadeniz) (from kara (“black, dark; north”) + deniz (“sea”)). Compare Russian Чёрное море (Čórnoje more). The Turkish word is derived from the languages of the Near East, which is ultimately from an Old Iranian name: the primary Ancient Greek name Πόντος Ἄξεινος (Póntos Áxeinos) (first attested in 462 BC) is a rendering of Old Iranian *axšaina- (“dark-colored”). The naming is according to the system in which color names indicated the cardinal points (black [or dark] for north, red for south, white for west, and green or light blue for east); compare Red Sea. It is supposedly named as such by the Achaemenids; see Iranica for details.

calque

An inland sea bound by Southeastern Europe in the west, Eastern Europe in the north and northeast, and Turkey in the south.

Амшын Еиқәа

an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Asia Minor

Sortehavet

definite form. The indefinite form is not used.


Caucasus

Via Latin Caucasus, from Ancient Greek Καύκασος (Kaúkasos).

[…] from the long and rugged ravines of the Caucasus, […]

1851, Lieutenant Maturin Murray, The Circassian Slave, or The Sultan's Favorite:

Driven with that weak blast which Winter leaves, / Closing his palace gates on Caucasus, / […]

Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium writhed in the throes of Anarchy, while Russia, watching from the Caucasus, stooped and bound them one by one.

1895, Robert W. Chambers, The King In Yellow:

A mountain range in Eastern Europe between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, on territory of Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, which includes the ranges of Greater Caucasus and Lesser Caucasus.

(geopolitics) A geopolitical region in Eastern Europe and Western Asia, deriving its name from the aforementioned mountains.


Lazio

administrative region
administrative region

An administrative region of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country with Rome as its capital. It corresponds to ancient Latium.


Sorbian

A group of Slavic languages spoken by a minority in eastern Germany.


Norman

From Middle English Norman, from Old English Norman (a variant of Norþman) and Old French Normant.
It is certain that the word is derived from the base of the Germanic words for north and the Germanic base of the words for man. However, given the frequent movement of Germanic groups especially into and out of Britain in the post-classical world, it is unclear in what tongue it came to be used first. In addition, the generally accepted meaning, a person from Normandy or one of the many French-speaking invaders to Britain, was used chiefly by Anglo-Norman and Old French, though it originally referred to any Scandinavian of the time. See also Northman.

A surname transferred from the nickname, for someone from Normandy, or for a Viking (Northman).


leu

Borrowed from Romanian leu (“lion”), from Latin leō (“lion”). Doublet of Leo, lev, lion, and Lyon.

The unit of currency of Romania, equal to one hundred bani.

The unit of currency of Moldova, equal to one hundred bani.


Cossack

Armeno-Kipchak
Cossack
George Turberville

From Middle French cosaque, from Middle Polish Kozak, from Old Ukrainian коза́къ (kozák), from Kipchak *qazaq (whence Armeno-Kipchak խազախ (xazax)), from Old Turkic 𐰴𐰔𐰍𐰸 (*qazǧaq, “profiteer”), from 𐰴𐰔𐰍𐰣𐰢𐰴 (qazǧanmaq, “to acquire”), from 𐰴𐰔𐰢𐰴 (qazmaq, “to dig out”), from Proto-Turkic *kaŕ-. Doublet of Kazakh. First appears c. 1587 in the writings of George Turberville.

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

A member or descendant of an originally (semi-)nomadic population of Eastern Europe and the adjacent parts of Asia, formed in part of runaways from neighbouring countries, that eventually settled in parts of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian tsarist Empire and constituted a military caste, particularly in areas now comprising southern Russia and Ukraine.


Mediterranean Sea

Calque of Late Latin Mare Mediterraneum.


Novocastrian

From Latin novus (“new”) + castra (“castle, fort”).

Of or relating to Newcastle upon Tyne or Newcastle, New South Wales.


Novocastrian

A native or resident of Newcastle upon Tyne or Newcastle, New South Wales.


Great Britain

Of the island of Great Britain, to disambiguate Britain from Brittany, i.e. Lesser Britain. From Middle English Great Brittaigne, Grete Britaigne, Grete breteygne, grete Bretayne, grete breteyne, parallelling Anglo-Norman Grande Brettayne and c. 12th-century Medieval Latin Britannia Maior. Equivalent to Great + Britain.
King James VI and I in 1604 proclaimed himself “King of Great Britain, France and Ireland”.

Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain

(historical or loosely) The United Kingdom, or its predecessor the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801).

Groot-Brittanje

United Kingdom — see also United Kingdom, Kingdom of Great Britain


Scouser

From scouse + -er, from scouse, a common stew in Liverpool.


Liverpudlian

en-adj

Liverpudlian (comparative more Liverpudlian, superlative most Liverpudlian)

more Liverpudlian (comparative)
most Liverpudlian (superlative)

From Liverpool and puddle, as a pun on a puddle being a small pool.


Liverpudlian

A native or resident of Liverpool in England.

Liverpoolien

a native or resident of Liverpool in England

(soccer) someone connected with Liverpool Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.


kuna

Borrowed from Serbo-Croatian kúna/ку́на.

The former (until 2023) currency of Croatia, divided into 100 lipa.


quid

Borrowed from Latin quid (“what, something”), neuter singular of quis (“who”).

(US, historical) A member of a section of the Democratic-Republican Party between 1805 and 1811, following John Randolph of Roanoke. (From tertium quid.)


quid

Likely derives from the phrase quid pro quo (“this for that”), referring to the exchange of goods/services for money.

Seven quid for a toastie? You're joking aren't you?!

Forty quid a fuckin ticket. No shy they British Rail cunts, ah kin fuckin tell ye.

1994 [1993], Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting, London: Minerva, →ISBN, page 114:

The ride costs exactly fifteen quid, but that doesn't include the tip, and bitter is two pounds a pint.

1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, →ISBN, pages 71–72:

(UK, colloquial) Pound sterling. (usually only used with a whole number of pounds)

(Ireland, Commonwealth, colloquial, historical) Various national currencies typically known by the name "pound".

(Ireland, colloquial, by extension) Euro.


nautical mile

Personnel trenches have been constructed or improved in Tantung (40-05-50N 124-21-30E) and along roads 13 nautical miles (nm) south-southwest of Tantung and 1.5 nm west of the border (Figures 2 and 3).

1970 May, “Basic Description”, in Chinese Defensive Activity Along the China-North Korea Border, National Photographic Interpretation Center, published 2011, archived from the original on 2023-12-04, page 1:

An even more impressive nineteenth-century militarized lighthouse is found on the Taiwanese Wuchiu island, located just 20 nautical miles off the Chinese coast. While much of the surrounding military structure has been demolished, its black tower and high walls painted in camouflage colours stand as reminders of the contested history of this small frontier island.

2022, Veronica della Dora, Where Light in Darkness Lies: The Story of the Lighthouse, →ISBN, →OCLC:

A unit of length corresponding approximately to one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian. By international agreement it is exactly 1,852 metres (approximately 6,076 feet or 1.151 statute mile).


Heidi

From Swiss German Heidi, a pet form of Adelheid, equivalent of English Adelaide and Alice. The name became internationally popular due to the children's book Heidi (1880).

"Heidi?" Kurtz echoed. "Heidi? That's a damned odd name for an English elder sister, isn't it?" "Not for Heidi, it isn't," she replied buoyantly, and scored an immediate laugh from the kids beyond the lighting. Heidi because her parents went to Switzerland for their honeymoon, she explained; and Switzerland was where Heidi was conceived. "Among the edelweiss," she added, with a sigh.

1983, John le Carré, The Little Drummer Girl, Pan Books, →ISBN, page 142:

But the purported rise in violent videos online has led some MPs to campaign for courts to have more power to remove or block material on YouTube. The Labour MP Heidi Alexander said she was appalled after a constituent was robbed at knifepoint, and the attackers could be found brandishing weapons and rapping about gang violence online.

2012 April 19, Josh Halliday, “Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?”, in the Guardian:

A female given name from the Germanic languages.


Syracusan

Ex. The Syracusan expedition was the deathblow of the Athenian Empire. (John Buchan).

Of or belonging to Syracuse, a city in Sicily, Italy, or of the city of Syracuse in central New York State.


Scot

From Old English Scottas (“people from Ireland, Irishmen”), from Late Latin Scotti (see Scōtī for more).
See Scoti.


Kashubian

/kəˈʃuːbɪən/

A Slavic language spoken in the Pomeranian region of Poland.


corgi

en-noun

corgi (plural corgis or corgies or (rare) corgwn)

corgis (plural)
corgies (plural)
corgwn (plural rare)

PIE word
 *ḱwṓ
Borrowed from Welsh corgi, a compound of cor (“dwarf”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut off”)) + gi (the soft mutation of ci (“dog”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ (“dog”), perhaps from *peḱ- (“livestock; wealth”)).
The rare plural form corgwn is borrowed from Welsh corgwn.

der

By this time the Pembrokeshire—the short-tailed corgwn—were increasing in popularity very rapidly. The Cardiganshire variety lagged behind their more numerous cousins, but, even so, almost all the larger shows of this country had classes […]

1966 July 14, S. M. Lampson, “Sturdy Farm Dogs from Wales”, in John Adams, editor, Country Life, volume 140, London: George Newnes […], →OCLC, page 69:

[W]hich news item do we have to worry about and have a view on? Not, presumably, the fact that the Queen is going cool on corgies; probably not how space exploration is getting on; townies can maybe skip the fates of either cows or badgers.

2015 July 27, Katharine Whitehorn, “Need we follow all the news?”, in The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2016-03-09:

While larger, longer corgwn with tails were found in the lowland and hill farms of central and northern Cardiganshire, in the south a shorter, lighter corgi was more common.

2016, Janet Vorwald Dohner, “Herding Dogs”, in Deborah Burns, Lisa H. Hiley, editors, Farm Dogs: A Comprehensive Breed Guide to 93 Guardians, Herders, Terriers, and Other Canine Working Partners, North Adams, Mass.: Storey Publishing, →ISBN, page 200, column 1:

Participating pooches must be between 12-20 weeks old at the time of taping. This year, two labradoodles, a pomsky and a corgi are among members the Central Florida contingent.

2023 January 27, Patrick Connolly, “Meet the Orlando rescue dogs playing in Puppy Bowl XIX”, in Orlando Sentinel:

Short for Welsh corgi (“a type of herding dog originating from Wales, having a small body, short legs, and fox-like features such as large ears; two separate breeds are recognized: the Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi”).

korgi

short for Welsh corgi — see also Welsh corgi


boyar

From Russian боя́ре (bojáre), plural of боя́рин (bojárin).

Boris had abdicated in 889, leaving the throne to his son Vladimir, who had immediately identified himself with the boyar aristocracy which Boris had done his utmost to crush.

1997, John Julius Norwich, A Short History of Byzantium, Penguin, published 1998, page 159:

A long series of wars was fought in the sixteenth century to keep Polish influence at bay in the West Russian lands, and prevent it from seducing Muscovy's restless boyars, the warrior-barons whose independence the grand dukes were determined to crush.

2007, John Darwin, After Tamerlane, Penguin, published 2008, page 68:

some of his family looked to Orthodox Christianity to sustain them, and not only many of his boyars but most of his subjects were Orthodox Christians.

2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 514:

(historical) A member of a rank of aristocracy (second only to princes) in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia and Romania.


hetman

From Polish hetman, probably from Middle High German houbetman, heuptman (“commander”), from Old High German houbitman, from Proto-West Germanic *haubidamann. Compare modern German Hauptmann (“captain”), Haupt, Mann. The Polish e in hetman attests to a borrowing from an East Central German dialect, in which Middle High German -öu- gives -ē-. Doublet of head man.

Title used by the second-highest military commander in Poland and Lithuania (15th to 18th century).

getman

a historical military commander in various Eastern European countries


kulak

1877. From Russian кула́к (kulák, “wealthy peasant; fist; tight-fisted person”), plural кулаки́ (kulakí). Compare also Russian раскула́чивание (raskuláčivanije, “dekulakization”), подкула́чник (podkuláčnik, “subkulak”).

cog

раскула́чивание

The “internal organs,” as the CHEKA and the GPU and the KGB used to style themselves, were asked to police the mind for heresy as much as to torture kulaks to relinquish the food they withheld from the cities.

2002 Sep, Christopher Hitchens, “Martin Amis: Lightness at Midnight”, in The Atlantic:

We are the “upper middle class”, the new kulaks whose antisocial self-interest and lack of submission to the aims of the revolutionary vanguard must be extinguished.

2015 February 6, Nick Gillespie, “To the Barricades, Brooklyn Yuppies!”, in The Dailey Beast, retrieved 20150206:

(historical) A prosperous peasant in the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union, who owned land and could hire workers.


mitre

From Middle English mytre, from Old French mitre, from Ancient Greek μίτρα (mítra, “headband, turban”). Its use in reference to a counterfeit coin derived from the bishop's mitre stamped upon it. Doublet of Mithras, Mithra, Mitra, and Mehr.

doublet

(historical, numismatics) A 13th-century coin minted in Europe which circulated in Ireland as a debased counterfeit sterling penny, outlawed under Edward I.


dram

From Armenian դրամ (dram), from Middle Persian 𐭦𐭥𐭦𐭭 (zʿzn /drahm/), from Ancient Greek δραχμή (drakhmḗ, “unit of weight, a handful”), from δράσσομαι (drássomai, “I hold, seize”).

der

(numismatics) The currency of Armenia, divided into 100 luma.


duma

From Russian ду́ма (dúma, “elective legislative assembly”, originally: “thought”), Origin of the Slavic term is disputed. Either of Germanic origin. Doublet of doom. Or from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke”), akin to Proto-Slavic *duti (“to blow"), *dymъ (“smoke”). The drink is named after the legislative assembly.

bor

Hence, while preserving his autocratic power, the Czar decrees a “Gosudarstvennaia Duma,” or State Council. The elections for this Duma will cover the whole territory of the Empire, ...

1905, “Russian Duma” in The Outlook Volume 80, 989

A Russian legislative assembly such as the historical duma of the Russian Empire or the modern lower house of the Federal Assembly (the Russian national parliament).

دُومَا

lower house of Russian national parliament


Germanization

en-noun

Germanization (countable and uncountable, plural Germanizations)

The adoption of German customs or culture.

(historical) The policy, in Nazi Germany, of the expansion of the German language and culture.


centime

Borrowed from French centime. Doublet of centim, centimo, and santim.

(historical) A former subunit of currency equal to one-hundredth of the franc.


Derbyshire

A midland county of England bounded by South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire.


Russophobia

Contempt or hatred towards Russia or Russians, especially the political system, or the customs of the former Soviet Union.

հակառուսականություն

the fear or hatred of Russia or Russians


Buckinghamshire

From Old English Buccingahāmsċīr (“district of Bucca's home”), from Buccingahāmme + sċīr, first element from Bucca (see bucca (“he-goat”)) + inga- + ham. By surface analysis, Buckingham + -shire.

surf

An inland county of England bounded by Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Greater London, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.


Francophile

/ˈfɹeɪ̯ŋ.koʊ̯ˌfaɪ̯l/

/ˈfɹeɪ̯ŋ.kəˌfaɪ̯l/

One who loves France, the French people, or French culture.


Francophile

en-adj

Francophile (comparative more Francophile, superlative most Francophile)

more Francophile (comparative)
most Francophile (superlative)

/ˈfɹeɪ̯ŋ.koʊ̯ˌfaɪ̯l/

/ˈfɹeɪ̯ŋ.kəˌfaɪ̯l/

Loving France, the French people, or French culture.

francòfil

loving France, the French people or French culture


Cambridgeshire

An inland county in East Anglia, England. County town Cambridge, bordered by Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.


Bristol

Latin bristoliensis

From Middle English Brigstow, from Old English Bryċġstōw (literally “the place by the bridge”), from bryċġ + -stōw, with additional final /l/ due to hypercorrection from l-vocalizing accents. See bridge and stow for more.
The tiddlywinks sense is associated with players from Bristol University.

inh

A city, ceremonial county, and unitary authority in southwest England bordering Gloucestershire, Somerset and The River Severn.

A suburban city in Hartford County, Connecticut.

A small city, the county seat of Liberty County, Florida.

A tiny city in Day County, South Dakota.

Several places in the United States:
A city in Sullivan County, Tennessee.

Several places in the United States:
An independent city in Virginia.


Cymru

Borrowed from Welsh Cymru. Doublet of Cambria.

Communicating in English was usual till a common language could be established. But neither I nor Rob wished anyone to prioritise English on our behalf and the fact that anyone could be offended at hearing Cymraeg in Cymru was wretched. […] My friends had only been in Cymru a year, but Tim knew more local history than me, and the kids, being young, were already nearly fluent in Cymraeg.

2022, Julie Brominicks, The Edge of Cymru: A Journey, Bridgend: Seren, published 2023, →ISBN:


Mancunian

]
From Latin Mancunium (appearing in a 4th-century manuscript of the Antonine Itinerary), an alternative name for or corruption of Mamucium (“name of the Roman fort at what is now Manchester”) + -an, probably modelled after Late Latin Mancuniensis (“related or pertaining to Mancunium”).

cog

But the Mancunians are of all men the most disposed to peace. Their name has become a bye-word because they are said to require peace at any price. If the Mancunians are satisfied, for Heaven's sake do not let us put it into their heads that they could gain anything by change.

1859, [Arthur Helps], “War”, in Friends in Council: A Series of Readings and Discourse thereon (New Series), 2nd edition, volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker & Son, West Strand, →OCLC, page 137:

In this epitome of local medical history there is much of which any Mancunian can be proud, be he a medical man, a citizen of Greater Manchester or a member of its universities.

1984, S. W. Stanbury, “Foreword”, in Willis J. Elwood, A. Félicité Tuxford, editors, Some Manchester Doctors: A Biographical Collection to Mark the 150th Anniversary of the Manchester Medical Society 1834–1984, Manchester, Dover, N.H.: Published for the Manchester Medical Society by Manchester University Press, →ISBN, page vii:

Mancunians have shown their defiance in the face of terror after a suicide bomber killed 22 people in the city on Monday night.

2017 May 23, Sarah Ann Harris, “Manchester bombing prompts extraordinary messages of defiance: ‘F*ck terrorism stick the kettle on.’”, in HuffPost, archived from the original on 2017-05-23:

A person raised or living in the city of Manchester, England, in the United Kingdom.


periphery

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *per-der.
Ancient Greek περί (perí)
Ancient Greek περῐ- (peri-)
Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-
Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti
Proto-Hellenic *pʰérō
Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō)
Ancient Greek περιφέρω (periphérō)
Proto-Indo-European *-os
Proto-Indo-European *-ēs
Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs)
Ancient Greek περιφερής (peripherḗs)
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂der.
Ancient Greek -ια (-ia)
Ancient Greek περιφέρεια (periphéreia)bor.
Latin peripheriabor.
Middle French peripheriebor.
English periphery
Borrowed from Middle French peripherie. Compare Middle English periferie (“one of three layers of atmosphere (lower, middle, and upper) believed to surround the Earth”), from the same origin, although the Modern English term most likely does not descend from it.

m+

A first-rank administrative division of Greece, subdivided into provinces.


IRA

Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army#English

(Ireland, UK, politics) Initialism of Irish Republican Army.


Deutschland

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Deutschland.wav

Unadapted borrowing from German Deutschland.

ubor

1993 May 23, Daniel Van Der Weide, “Taking a Harley to Deutschland?”, in rec.motorcycles.harley (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-05:

1997 July 22, Dwight Johnson, “Transfer of $ to Deutschland”, in de.etc.finanz (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-05:

1999 July 15, Rob Strickland, “Moving to Deutschland”, in soc.culture.german (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-05:

1999 November 11, jeff freeman, “trip to deutschland?”, in alt.autos.porsche (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-05:

2002 May 15, Skriptis, “I don't see how hese topics are related to Deutschland and its culture??”, in soc.culture.german (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-05:

Federal Republic of Germany
Federal Republic of Germany#English

(rare) Germany (a country in Central Europe, formed in 1949 as West Germany, with its provisional capital Bonn until 1990, when it incorporated East Germany; official name: Federal Republic of Germany; capital and largest city: Berlin).


Bosnia

Bosnjë

northern part of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a geographic and historical entity

The northern three-fourths of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a geographic and historical entity, not an administrative unit.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina#English

Ellipsis of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (the entire country).


Ivan

From Russian Ива́н (Iván), and from Ivan in several Slavic languages. Doublet of John and its relatives Evan, Giovanni, Ian, Johann, and Sean, etc.

Amy's husband was called Ivan. Ivan the Terrible, Barry always called him, naturally. 'Ivan? What kind of name is that?' he said to Tracy after Amy's engagement was announced. 'Bloody Russian.'
'Actually, I think it's because he had a Norwegian grandfather', Tracy said.
'Norwegian?' Barry said incredulously, as if she'd just announced that Ivan's family came from the moon.

2010, Kate Atkinson, Started Early, took My Dog, Doubleday, →ISBN, page 66:

A male given name from Russian of English speakers.

Ива́н Иван#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian male given name Ива́н (Iván).

A transliteration of the Macedonian male given name Иван (Ivan).


Ivan

Rare variant of Evan, from Welsh Ifan, the Welsh equivalent of John.

Dafydd ap Ivan ap Einion, an adherent to the house of Lancaster held out, in Harlech Castle, for nine years after the accession of Edward the Fourth to the throne of England.

1833, George Newenham Wright, Scenes in North Wales, T. T. and J. Tegg, page 137:

A male given name from Welsh of Welsh origin.


Pyrenees

/ˌpɪɹəˈniːz/

From Middle English Pireneies, partly from Middle French Pyrénées and partly from Latin Pȳrēnaeī (montēs), from Ancient Greek Πῡρήνη (Pūrḗnē, “Pyrene”, literally “fruit-stone”), daughter of Bebryx and beloved of Herakles, and who, legend has it, is buried in the range.

der

The mountain range separating Spain from France, inhabited by Basques in the west, Occitans in the centre-north, Aragonese in the centre-south, and Catalans in the east.

Pireneë

the mountain range separating Spain from France

A wine-producing region and local government area (Shire of Pyrenees) in Victoria, Australia.


rouble

The amount of work required to earn 26 roubles 40 kopeyki was one and a half times more than the physical possibilities of a healthy workman would allow in one day.

1997, Felix Gryff, Red Hell, Bib ID 3033350, page 150:

With Capital requirements increasing, the number of Commercial Banks is rapidly decreasing. The manta (AZM) of 100 gyapiks replaced the rouble in January, 1994.

2005, Indian Trade Journal, volume 391, issues 9-13, page B-274


Scillonian

A native or inhabitant of the Isles of Scilly, a Scilly Islander.

Scillonier

native of the Isles of Scilly, a Scilly Islander


Tyrone

en-proper noun

Tyrone (countable and uncountable, plural Tyrones)

From Irish Tír Eoghain (literally “land of Eoghan”).

der

Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland#English

A county of Northern Ireland, Ireland island, United Kingdom; One of the six traditional counties in Northern Ireland, often known as County Tyrone.


seraglio

/səˈɹæɡliːoʊ/

From Italian serraglio, from Vulgar Latin *serrāculum, from a late form of Latin serāre (“lock up, close”), from sera (“lock, bolt”). The Italian word was used (because of phonetic similarity) to translate Turkish saray (palace). Compare serai, serail.

The sequestered living quarters used by wives and concubines (odalisques) in a Turkish Muslim household.


Iberia

From Latin Iberia, from Ancient Greek Ἰβηρία (Ibēría), after the river Ἴβηρος (Íbēros), which itself came from a native Celtiberian name for the river *Ibēr (modern Spanish Ebro).
 Iberia on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

/aɪˈbɪə̯.ɹi.ə/

/aɪˈbɪə̯ɹ.i.ə/

Buried within the Mediterranean littoral are some seventy to ninety million tons of slag from ancient smelting, about a third of it concentrated in Iberia. This ceaseless industrial fueling caused the deforestation of an estimated fifty to seventy million acres of woodlands.

2006, Edwin Black, chapter 2, in Internal Combustion:

A region of Europe south of the Pyrenees, consisting of Andorra, Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar.

census-designated place
census-designated place


Iberia

Caucasian Iberia
Kingdom of Iberia (antiquity)

[Alt: Iberia]
From Ancient Greek Ἰβηρία (Ibēría). Possibly from the same source as Old Armenian Վիրք (Virkʻ).

/aɪˈbɪə̯.ɹi.ə/

/aɪˈbɪə̯ɹ.i.ə/

(historical) Antique and Byzantine name for the ancient Georgian kingdom of Kartli in Eastern Europe, located east of Colchis, corresponding roughly to the eastern parts of present-day Georgia.


ruble

While the local currency is the manat, the Russian ruble is in circulation and prices are often confusingly quoted in manats and rubles. […] The currency is the manat with a hundred gopik […]

1995, Fielding's ‘The World's Most Dangerous Places’, page 170:

копе́йка копейка#Russian

капе́йка капейка#Belarusian

The monetary unit of Russia, Belarus and Transnistria equal to 100 kopeks (Russian: копе́йка (kopéjka), Belarusian: капе́йка (kapjéjka)). The Russian ruble's symbol is ₽.


Gibraltar

/d͡ʒɪˈbɹɔːltə(ɹ)/

/d͡ʒɪˈbɹɒltə(ɹ)/

Pillars of Hercules
Rock of Gibraltar
Tariq ibn Ziyad
Umayyad conquest of Hispania

From Spanish Gibraltar, from Arabic جَبَل طَارِق (jabal ṭāriq, “Mount Tariq”), named after Tariq ibn Ziyad, who led the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, starting in 711. Replaced earlier Latin Mons Calpe (“Mount Calpe”) for the land, and Columnae Herculis, from Ancient Greek Ἡράκλειαι στῆλαι (Hērákleiai stêlai, “Pillars of Hercules”), for the strait.
The barangay in Baguio, Philippines is named by a German national "Jonathan Speth" after the Rock of Gibraltar in Europe. He lived and died in the barangay.

جَبَل طَارِق

cog

Ἡράκλειαι στῆλαι

A peninsula, city, and overseas territory of the United Kingdom, at the southern end of Iberia.


kopek

Borrowed from Russian копе́йка (kopéjka), from копьё (kopʹjó, “spear”) (from the image of a rider with a spear on the coins minted by Moscow after the capture of Novgorod in 1478). Doublet of kopeika, kopiyka, and kapeek.

bor+

A kopiyka: a Ukrainian monetary unit equal to one hundredth of a hryvnia.

A kapiejka: a Belarusian monetary unit equal to one hundredth of a ruble (rubel).


Tara

Borrowed from Irish Teamhrach, genitive of Teamhair, from Old Irish Temair (literally “high place”). The female given name is derived from the name of the plantation in Gone with the Wind, named for the place in Ireland.

der

No more to chiefs and ladies bright
The harp of Tara swells

An Irish place name, associated with the Hill of Tara, seat of ancient Irish kings.

A female given name transferred from the place name, of 20th century and later usage.

the story of Tara Cochrane, a war veteran, a physician, and a burned-out man who describes himself in terms of a bad cigarette

1952, Janice Holt Giles, Tara's Healing:


castellano

From Spanish castellano (“Castilian”), from Medieval Latin Castella (“Castile, Land of Fortresses”) + -ānus (“-an: forming adjectives”), from Latin castrum (“fort”) + -ella (“-elle: forming diminutives”). Doublet of Castilian, castellanus, castellan, and chatelain.

doublet

(historical) A traditional Spanish unit of mass, equivalent to about 4.8 g.

(historical) A former Spanish coin, notionally equivalent to a castellano of gold.


mud

From Dutch mud, from West Germanic, from Latin modius. Doublet of modius and muid.

(historical) A kind of box traditionally used in the Netherlands for measuring muds.


Iberian

en-noun

Iberian (countable and uncountable, plural Iberians)

(countable) A Georgian (person from the country in Eurasia).


Rumania

→ Japanese: ルーマニア (Rūmania)

Yugoslavia is as free as Iran, freer than Rumania, less free than Morocco.

1978, Freedom House, Freedom in the World:


bagpipes

bagpipes pl (normally plural, singular bagpipe)

From earlier bagpipe, from Middle English bagpipe; equivalent to bag + pipes.

Bagpipes are traditionally played in most Celtic regions and many former parts of the British Empire.

“Iʼll tell you something: there is nothing in the world like the sound of the bagpipes to raise a manʼs morale, to lift his spirits, and give him strength.”

2005, Jennifer Worth, Shadows of the Workhouse, Weidenfeld & Nicholson (2009), page 250:

A musical wind instrument possessing a flexible bag inflated by bellows, a double-reed melody pipe and up to four drone pipes; any aerophone that produces sound using air from a reservoir to vibrate enclosed reeds.


pound sterling

The sterling was originally a silver penny. 240 of them made a pound.

Andrew Houſtoun and Adam Muſhet, being Tackſmen of the Excize, did Imploy Thomas Rue to be their Collector, and gave him a Sallary of 30. pound Sterling for a year.

1668 July 3rd, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Houſtoun” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 547


intelligentsia

intelligentsia (countable and uncountable, plural intelligentsias)

/ɪntɛlɪˈd͡ʒɛntsɪə/

/ɪntɛlɪˈɡɛntsɪə/

From Russian интеллиге́нция (intelligéncija) or Polish inteligencja, from Latin intellegentia (“intelligence”). Doublet of intelligence.

der

интеллиге́нция

It should be noted that there is now no intelligentsia that is not in some sense "Left". Perhaps the last right-wing intellectual was T. E. Lawrence. Since about 1930 everyone describable as an “intellectual” has lived in a state of chronic discontent with the existing order.

1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn:

(politics) The intellectual elite of a society, particularly in Marxist doctrine.


Hollywood Irish

Irish people and culture as stereotypically portrayed by the movie industry, particularly from the USA.


SMERSH

Borrowed from Russian СМЕРШ (SMJeRŠ), an acronym of «Смерть шпионам!» («Smertʹ špionam!», “Death to spies!”).

(historical) Counter-intelligence organisation attached to Russian army units during World War II.

施密爾舒

WWII-era Russian counter-intelligence organisation


Sinn Féin

From Irish Sinn Féin (literally “we ourselves”) from sinn (“we, us”) + féin (“-self, -selves”).

compound

Ireland’s largest party, Fianna Fáil, has said it will not consider going into government with Sinn Féin, a decision likely to prevent the leftwing nationalists from entering power for the first time.

2020 February 13, “Ireland: Fianna Fáil rules out coalition with Sinn Féin”, in The Guardian, sourced from Reuters, →ISSN:

(Irish politics) An Irish political party committed to the reunification of Ireland.


hammer and sickle

en-noun

hammer and sickle (plural hammers and sickles)

The symbol was developed by Yevgeny Kamzolkin in 1917, based on antetypes like hammer and pick (symbol of mining). The hammer represents workers, while the sickle represents farmers.

He remembers the [train] journeys fondly—the vast expanses of the Soviet empire rolling by, the glasses of tea served in metal cup holders embossed with the hammer and sickle.

December 7 2022, Simon Shuster, “2022 Person of the Year: Volodymyr Zelensky”, in Time:

A depiction of a sickle crossed with a hammer, used as a symbol of communism and the Soviet Union.


Katyusha

Borrowed from Russian Катю́ша (Katjúša) diminutive of Ка́тя (Kátja, “Katya”), in turn diminutive of Екатери́на (Jekaterína, “Katherine”), named after a popular wartime song.

The Russian Katyusha is a multiple rocket thrower of which nothing is known except what can be seen on released photographs.

1944, Willy Ley, Rockets: The Future of Travel Beyond the Stratosphere, Viking Press, page 77:

A type of artillery rocket launcher consisting of an array of rockets mounted on a truck, originated in the Soviet Union.


Herzegovina

/ˌhɜːtsəˈɡɒvɪnə/

/ˌhɜɹtsəɡoʊˈviːnə/

A direct borrowing from Serbo-Croatian Hercegovina, from German Herzog (“duke”) + Serbo-Croatian -ov (possessive suffix) + Serbo-Croatian -ina (feminine suffix). Thus meaning, a Duke's possession, a dukedom.

The southern wedge of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, representing a geographic and historic entity, and not an administrative unit.

Hercegovinë

Southern wedge of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina


Saturnalia

Saturn was an ancient Italian deity. It was attempted to identify him with the Grecian god Cronos, and fabled that after his dethronement by Jupiter he fled to Italy, where he reigned during what was called the Golden Age. In memory of his beneficent dominion, the feast of Saturnalia was held every year in the winter season.

1913, Thomas Bulfinch, chapter 1, in The Age of Fable:

(historical) An Ancient Roman holiday honoring the deity Saturn.


Walloon

Borrowed from Middle French Wallon / wallon, from Frankish *walh, from Proto-Germanic *walhaz (“foreigner”).
Cognate to Welsh/Wales, the second part of Cornwall, and first part of walnut, as well as Gaul and Wallachia.

A Romance language spoken in parts of southern Belgium and northern France (around Givet).


Walloon

An inhabitant of the region of southern Belgium and northern France (around Givet), usually of Belgian nationality.


Walloon

The valerouse, and prudent Earle of Isimburque uppon the firste aduice of Captaine Barri, touching the quantitie and presumtion of the enemy, drew on vnto the field, and with great expedition brauelie ordered, and deuided his almain, and vallon Infanterie, into two squadrons, in forme of broad front with amostualerous determintion to incounter and giue battel to the enemy if need did require.

1627, Herman Hugo, translated by Gerat Barry, The seige of Breda by the armes of Phillip the Fourt vnder the gouernment of Isabella atchiued by the conduct of Ambr. Spinola, Leuven, page 35:

Referring to the French-speaking people of southern Belgium and parts of northern France.

való

referring to the French-speaking people of southern Belgium


Herefordshire

From Middle English Herefordschire; equivalent to Hereford + -shire.

An inland county of England bordered by Shropshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Radnorshire and Brecknockshire.


Oxfordshire

From Middle English Oxenfordschire; equivalent to Oxford + -shire.

A midland county of England bordered by Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.


Huntingdonshire

A former inland county of Eastern England, now absorbed into Cambridgeshire.


Staffordshire

From Middle English Staffordschire; equivalent to Stafford + -shire.

A ceremonial county of West Midlands, England, bordered by Shropshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.


Northamptonshire

A midland county of England. County town Northampton, bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire.


Cheshire

From Old English Ceastersċīr, from Ceaster (“Chester”, from ceaster, from Latin castra (“camp”)) + scīr (“district, shire”).

A northwestern county of England, bordered by the Rivers Mersey and Dee, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Wrexham and Flintshire.


Nottinghamshire

"Good morrow to thee, jolly fellow," quoth Robin, "thou seemest happy this merry morn."
"Ay, that am I," quoth the jolly Butcher, "and why should I not be so? Am I not hale in wind and limb? Have I not the bonniest lass in all Nottinghamshire? And lastly, am I not to be married to her on Thursday next in sweet Locksley Town?"

1883, Howard Pyle, chapter V, in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood […], New York, N.Y.: […] Charles Scribner’s Sons […], →OCLC:

A north-midland county of England bordered by South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire.


Suffolk

From Middle English Suffolk, from Old English Sūþfolc, a compound of sūþ + folc.

Holonym: East Anglia

Comeronym: Norfolk

A maritime county in the east of England, bordered by Norfolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and the North Sea.


Rutland

Unclear. Attested in Old English as Roteland and Ritelanede. Perhaps hrīþer (“cattle”) + land (“land”), or from the personal name Rota + land.

unk

Unclear

A small landlocked county in the East Midlands of England.


Shropshire

/ˈʃɹɒp.ʃə(ɹ)/

From Old English Sċrobbesbyriġscīr, from Sċrobbesburh (“Shrewsbury”) + sċīr (“shire”).

An inland county of England bordered by the English counties of Cheshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and the Welsh county of Powys and county borough of Wrexham.


Northumberland

From Middle English Northumberlond, Northhumberlond, equivalent to Northumbria + land. Compare Old Norse Norðymbraland (“Northumberland”).

noncog

The most northerly county of England bordered by County Durham, Cumbria, Tyne and Wear, Scotland and the North Sea.

Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne#English

A unitary authority in England which includes all of the traditional county except the area around Newcastle upon Tyne.


Dorset

From the county town of Dorchester. The Old English name was Dornwaraceaster, composed of the British Latin name Durnovaria and the common suffix -ceaster; the word was eventually reduced to Dornsæte, a reduction of the original name + the suffix -sǣte (“people, dwellers”).

A maritime county of England, bounded by Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Devon and the English Channel.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole#English

A unitary authority in England which includes all of the traditional county except Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, a separate unitary authority.

A community of Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada.

Haliburton County
Haliburton County#English

An unincorporated community in Henrietta Township, Hubbard County, Minnesota, United States.

A township and unincorporated community therein, in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States, named after Dorset, Vermont.

Ashtabula County
Ashtabula County#English

A town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States, named after the English county.

Bennington County
Bennington County#English


Surrey

From Old English Sūþrigē, Sūþrigēa (“southern region”), from sūþerne (“southern”) + -gē (“district, region”).

compound

An inland county of South East England, bordered by Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, West Sussex, East Sussex and Berkshire.

The easternmost of the three historical counties of Jamaica, bordered by the county of Middlesex in the west; named after the English county.


Worcestershire

From Middle English Wyrcestreschire; equivalent to Worcester + -shire.

A midland county of England bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and West Midlands.


Somerset

From Old English Sumorsǣte, which is short for Sumortūnsǣte, meaning "the people living at or dependent upon Sumortūn (Somerton)". An alternative suggestion is that the name derives from *Seo-mere-sætan meaning "settlers by the sea lakes".

A maritime county in the west of England bordered by Gloucestershire, Bristol, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, the Severn estuary and the Bristol Channel.


Essex

Inherited from Old English Ēastseaxan (literally “East Saxons”), which stood for both Essex and the people of Essex.

Essex

small unincorporated community in San Bernadino County, California

Essex

coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts

A maritime county of England bordered by the North Sea, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Greater London, and separated from Kent by the Thames estuary.


Lancashire

/ˈlæŋkəˌʃɪə/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-Lancashire.wav

From Middle English Lancastreshire, from Lancaster + Old English scir (“district”).

A maritime county in the north-west of England bordered by the Irish Sea, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and Merseyside.


Wiltshire

From Middle English Wiltonshire, from Old English Wiltūnsċīr (Wiltescire 1086 Domesday Book), named after the town of Wilton in the county (Old English Wiltūn).

Wiltshire actually comes from Wiltonshire, for Wilton was once a county town, royal residence and bishopric - a place of significance.

2023 June 28, Stephen Roberts, “Bradshaw's Britain: Alton to Exeter”, in RAIL, number 986, page 59:

An inland county of England bordered by Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Berkshire.

A unitary authority in England which includes all of the traditional county except Swindon, a separate unitary authority.


Berkshire

From Middle English Berchesire, Barrokshyre, Berrucsire, from Old English Bearrocscire, Berrocscire, Bearrucscire, taken from the Bearroc woods, possibly from Proto-Brythonic *barrọg, perhaps meaning “hilly” (compare *barros (“hill, peak, top”)) + Old English sċīr (“shire, county”).

Berkshire
Berkshire (disambiguation)#Other places
Berkshire pig

My convention diary is unusually disjointed, since I was mingily commuting from Berkshire rather than pay £65 per night for a single room.

2005, David Langford, The Sex Column and Other Misprints, page 66:

An inland county of England, bounded by Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Greater London and Wiltshire.


Cornwall

From Middle English Cornwale, Cornwaile, from Old English Cornwēalas (“Cornwall, inhabitants of Cornwall”), from Proto-Celtic *karnos (“horn”) + Old English wealh (“stranger, foreigner”). Compare Wales/Welsh, Walloon, Gaul.

inh

A maritime county of England; forming its south-western extremity, bordered by Devon in the east.

The westernmost of the three historical counties of Jamaica, bordered by the county of Middlesex in the east; named for the English county.


South Yorkshire

East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire

(from 1974) A metropolitan county in northeastern England bordering West Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire.


Merseyside

United were second-best for long periods as they struggled to adapt to an unfamiliar line-up and were ultimately fortunate to leave Merseyside with their unbeaten league run still intact.

2011 October 15, Phil McNulty, “Liverpool 1 - 1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:

A metropolitan county in northwestern England bordering Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire.


West Sussex

A county in south-east England, bordered by East Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey and the English Channel.


East Riding of Yorkshire

A local government district and ceremonial county in the north east of England.


Tyne and Wear

Named after the two main rivers in the county.

A metropolitan county in the north-east of England, bordering County Durham and Northumberland.


Norfolk

Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk
Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk
Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk
James Cook
Mary Howard, Duchess of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk (disambiguation)
William Ambrosia Cowley

From Middle English Northfolk, from Old English Norþfolc (literally “northern people”), from norþ (“north, northern”) + folc (“folk, people, race, nation”). As an Ecuadorian island, clipping of Duke of Norfolk's Island, bestowed by William Ambrosia Cowley in 1684 honor of Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk; his son Henry, the 7th duke; or both. As an Australian island and territory, bestowed by James Cook in 1774 in honor of Mary Howard, wife of the 9th duke.

der

Holonym: East Anglia

Comeronym: Suffolk

A maritime county of eastern England bordered by Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, and the North Sea.

Short for Norfolk County, a county of Massachusetts, United States.

Norfolk County

(historical) Short for Norfolk County, a former county of Virginia, United States.


West Yorkshire

(from 1974) A metropolitan county in northern England bordering Derbyshire, South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester.


Wrexham

From Old English personal name Wryhtel + 's + Old English hamm (“water meadow”).

A county borough in northeastern Wales, United Kingdom, named after the town, formerly belonging to Denbighshire and Clwyd.


Tresco

The second largest of the Isles of Scilly.


Stevenage

A new town and borough in north Hertfordshire, England, part of London’s commuter belt (OS grid ref TL2324).


Camden

From Old English campas (“enclosure”) + denu (“valley”).

A number of places in the United States:

An unincorporated community in Fresno County, California.

A minor city and inactive township in Ray County, Missouri; probably named for an early settler.

A community of Colchester County, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Colchester County
Colchester County#English


North Yorkshire

(from 1974) A county in northeastern England, bordering the East Riding of Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and County Durham.


Greater London

An administrative area in England combining the City of London, the City of Westminster and 31 other London boroughs. Greater London borders (anticlockwise) Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey and Kent.


daffodil

en-noun

daffodil (countable and uncountable, plural daffodils)

Variant of Middle English affodill (“ramson”), from Medieval Latin affodillus, from Latin asphodelus, from Ancient Greek ἀσφόδελος (asphódelos), of Pre-Greek origin. The initial d- is perhaps from merging of the article in Dutch de affodil, the Netherlands being a source for bulbs (compare adder, apron, newt, nickname, orange and umpire for this rebracketing process). Doublet of asphodel.

When daffadils begin to peere, / With heigh the Doxy ouer the dale, / Why then comes in the ſweet o’ the yeere, / For the red blood raigns in yͤ winters pale.

c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 290, column 1:

I wandered lonely as a Cloud / That floats on high o’er Vales and Hills, / When all at once I saw a crowd / A host of dancing Daffodills; / Along the Lake, beneath the trees, / Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.

1807, William Wordsworth, “[I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud]”, in Poems, in Two Volumes, volume II, London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], →OCLC, stanza 1, page 49:

Was there ever a more beautiful name in the world than daffodil? Say it over to yourself, and then say “agapanthus” or “chrysanthemum,” or anything else you please, and tell me if the daffodils do not have it.

1919 November 20, A[lan] A[lexander] Milne, “Daffodils”, in Not That It Matters, New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Company […], published 1920, →OCLC, page 82:

(countable) A bulbous plant of the genus Narcissus, with yellow flowers and a trumpet shaped corona, especially Narcissus pseudonarcissus, the national flower of Wales.


Isle of Wight

From Old English Wiht, Wihte iegland, Latin Vectis (c.150), from Proto-Celtic *ixtis (literally “nether”), akin to Old Irish icht (“nether, bottom”), Muir n-Icht (“English Channel”, literally “the nether sea”), referring to the fact that the Isle of Wight is one of the southernmost islands of the British Isles.

der

Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight (disambiguation)

懷特島

island and county off the south coast of England

Isle of Wight County
Isle of Wight County#English

An unincorporated community, the county seat of the Isle of Wight County, Virginia, United States.


Croydon

From Old English Crogedena ("saffron valley"), from Old English croh (“saffron”) (< Latin crocus (“saffron”)) + Old English denu (“valley”).

South Cambridgeshire
South Cambridgeshire#English

A village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire district, Cambridgeshire, England (OS grid ref TL3149).

A town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire.

A census-designated place in Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

An unincorporated community in Morgan County, Utah.

A suburb of Sydney, in the Municipality of Burwood and Inner West council area, New South Wales.


Hampshire

en-proper noun

Hampshire (countable and uncountable, plural Hampshires)

From ham + shire (“county”), from Old English Hāmtūnsċīr. The 'p' evolved phonetically between [m] and [sh], as with Thompson.
The community in Prince Edward Island is named after the county in England. The name was inspired by nearby Wiltshire.

A maritime county in the south of England, United Kingdom bordered by Berkshire, Surrey, West Sussex, Dorset, Wiltshire, the English Channel and the Solent separating it from the Isle of Wight; the county town is Winchester.


Southwark

A London borough of Greater London, extending as far as Crystal Palace south of the River Thames, including the historic borough plus the Pool of London and Bankside.


Kent

From Old English Cent, from Latin Cantium, from Brythonic *Cantio (compare Old Irish céite (“gathering, folkmoot, hillock”)), from Proto-Celtic *kantos (“corner, rim”).

cog

A maritime county in southeast England bordered by East Sussex, Surrey, Greater London, the North Sea and the English Channel.


Kremlinology

Like the Kremlinology of the cold war, the unpacking of Nasrallah’s careful ambiguities is as much art as science. Was he smiling more, some asked last week, as others sought to identify the audiences for different parts of his messaging.

2024 January 7, “Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Iran … how far could war in the Middle East spread?”, in the Guardian:

(politics) The study of the internal politics of the high members of the government of the USSR.


eisteddfod

en-noun

eisteddfod (plural eisteddfods or eisteddfodau)

eisteddfods (plural)
eisteddfodau (plural)

Unadapted borrowing from Welsh eisteddfod (“session”), from eistedd (“to sit”) + bod (“to be”), literally “being sitting”.

affix

Any of several annual festivals in which Welsh poets, dancers, and musicians compete for recognition.


Birmingham

/ˈbɜː.mɪŋˌhæm/

Beorma
Birmingham
Birmingham (disambiguation)

From Middle English, 1086, from Old English Beormingahām, from Beorma + ing + hām, "home of Beorma;" first element of uncertain origin but possibly from beorma (“yeast”). More at Beorma.

Birminghamian

native or resident of Birmingham, Alabama

A number of places in the United States:

Huntingdon County
Huntingdon County#English

A borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.


Sami

From Northern Sami Sápmi, from one of the Sami languages, of uncertain origin/meaning, but possibly related to Proto-Balto-Slavic *źémē (“land”). More at Sápmi and Sami.

Relating to the Sami people of northern Scandinavia, or the Sami languages.

Samisch

relating to the Sami people or languages


Cymry

Borrowed from Welsh Cymry, q.v. Cognate with English Cambrian and Cymric.

The natural conclusion is that the Silurians or Iberians, now represented by the little, dark Welshmen, are the oldest existing race in Wales, and, though now speaking Cymraeg, were long before the Cymry there.

1881, James Bonwick, Who Are the Welsh? (Our Nationalities; III), London: David Bogue, […], page 46:

“What brings you into our lands?” The strange looking barbarian asked again. / He was speaking Cymraeg, which means the language of the aborigines, or “the language of the first race.” It was the same language of the Cymry of which Cedric and his tribe was a people of.

2001, Jodie K. Scales, Of Kindred Celtic Origins, volumes 1 (Myths, Legends, Genealogy and History of an Ordinary American Family), Lincoln, Neb.: Writers Club Press, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 416:

(uncommon) Synonym of Welsh: the Welsh people collectively.


Manchester

Manchester
Manchester (disambiguation)
Manchester Ship Canal

→ Finnish: Manse

From Old English Mameċeaster. The first element may be from a word related to Breton mamm (“mother; female animal; womb”), in reference to a breast-shaped hill.
The second part is known to be from Old English ceaster, from Latin castra (“camp”).

der

metropolitan borough
metropolitan borough

Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester#English

A major city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in northwestern England.

United States of America
United States of America

Mendocino County
Mendocino County#English

Any of several towns and cities in the United States of America:

A census-designated place in Mendocino County, California.

Meriwether County
Meriwether County#English

A city in Meriwether County and Talbot County, Georgia.

A city, the county seat of Delaware County, Iowa.

Dickinson County
Dickinson County#English

A tiny city in Dickinson County, Kansas.

A home rule city, the county seat of Clay County, Kentucky.

Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County#English

A village in Washtenaw County, Michigan.

A tiny city in Freeborn County, Minnesota.

St. Louis County
St. Louis County#English

Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County#English

The largest city in New Hampshire, United States and one of the two county seats of Hillsborough County.

A town and village in Ontario County, New York.

A city, the county seat of Coffee County, Tennessee.

A town in Vermont, United States and one of the two shire towns of Bennington County.

Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County#English

A former independent city in Chesterfield County, Virginia, now part of the city of Richmond.


Knowledge

The drivers of the officially licensed "black cabs" are famous for their mastery of "The Knowledge" of London streets.

2004, Robert S. Wayne, Royal London in Context: The Independent Traveler's Guide to Royal London, page 177:

A course of study which must be completed by prospective London taxi drivers; consists of 320 routes through central London and many significant places.


Greenwich

/ˈɡɹinwɪt͡ʃ/

From Middle English Greenwich, from Old English Grēnawīċ, Grēnewīċ (literally “green harbour, green settlement”). Equivalent to green + -wich.
The civil parish in New Brunswick may have been named after Greenwich near London, after Greenwich Village, or after Greenwich Street in Hampstead, New York.

A number of places in the United States:

A township in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

An unincorporated community in Piute County, Utah.

Prince William County
Prince William County#English

An unincorporated community in Prince William County, Virginia.

A civil parish of Kings County, New Brunswick, Canada.


Hackney

The senses "a horse" and "(a means of transport) available for hire" derive from the fact that many horses were kept for hire in the London borough of Hackney.
The place name is from Old English Hacan ieg "Hacan's Isle" (or "Hook's Island"), referring to dry land in a marsh.

An English habitational surname from Old English.


plebeian

From Latin plēbēius (“a commoner; common”) + -an (adjective-forming suffix), from Latin plēbēs + -ius (adjective-forming suffix), possibly under the influence of Middle French plebeyen, plebein, plebien (“a commoner”) and plebeien (“concerning the common people”). Cf. Medieval Latin plēbēiānus (“a commoner”), from plēbēius + -ānus.

cog

Na plebeane will tak þe dochter of ane patriciane but hir consent.

1533, John Bellenden translating Livy, History of Rome, Vol. II, Ch. iv, Sect. ii

(historical, Ancient Rome) A member of the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome.

պլեբեյ

one of the common people of ancient Rome

There blude... vald hef na bettir cullour nor the blude of ane plebien or of ane mecanik craftis man.

c. 1550, Robert Wedderburn, The Complaynt of Scotlande..., Ch. xv, p. 102

The feelings of our heart, the agitation of our passions, the vehemence of our affections, dissipate all its conclusions, and reduce the profound philosopher to a mere plebeian.

1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral., London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, § 3:

A commoner, particularly (derogatory) a low, vulgar person.


plebeian

en-adj

plebeian (comparative more plebeian, superlative most plebeian)

more plebeian (comparative)
most plebeian (superlative)

noble

antonym(s) of “of or pertaining to the common people”

To what purpose be the plebeian Magistrates ordeined?

1566, William Painter, The Palace of Pleasure Beautified, Vol. I, Ch. iv, fol. 9 verso

(historical) Of or concerning the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome.