Etymology

Vatican City

Today it means: A city-state in Southern Europe, an enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. Official name: Vatican City State. Full definition →

Italian Città del Vaticano ← Latin Cīvitās Vāticāna
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromCīvitās Vāticāna“Vatican City”
  2. Italian · calque ofCittà del Vaticano
  3. English todayVatican City

A calque of Italian Città del Vaticano, from Latin Cīvitās Vāticāna (“Vatican City”), referring to the Vatican hill, whose further etymology is unknown.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.