mediterranean sea

mediterranean sea · noun¹

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromμεσόγαιος“located in the midst of land”
2. Latin · derived frommediterrāneus“inland, remote from the coast”
3. English todaymediterranean sea

PIE word *médʰyos The word mediterranean is from Latin mediterrāneus (“inland, remote from the coast”) + English -an (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘of or pertaining to’). Mediterrāneus is derived from medius (“middle”) + terra (“dry land, ground”), modelled after Ancient Greek μεσόγαιος (mesógaios, “located in the midst of land”). The English word is cognate with Middle French méditerranéen (modern French méditerranéen), Italian mediterraneo, Spanish mediterráneo.

Mediterranean Sea · proper noun²

1. Late Latin · calque ofMare Mediterraneum
2. English todayMediterranean Sea

Calque of Late Latin Mare Mediterraneum.

Words from the same roots