Etymologically
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Francia

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈfraŋ.ki.a][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈfran̠ʲ.t͡ʃi.a][1]

Forms

Francia f sg (genitive Franciae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin Francī (“the Franks”), with the suffix -ia used for names of lands.[1][2][3] Wiktionary traces the name of the Franks to Frankish *Frankō and Proto-Germanic *frankô.[1] Through Old French France it is the source of English France.[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ausonius uses it for the land of the Franks, in the Mosella and elsewhere.[2][5][3]

Semantic evolution

In Late Latin poets, panegyrists and Ammianus it names the land of the Franks.[2][1] In the Middle Ages it was the Frankish realm, divided into East and West Francia,[6] and later France,[6][1] and Graesse also records it for the Germans and Germany.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 310–394 AD – Ausonius uses it of the land of the Franks.[2][3]
  • c. 390 AD – Ammianus Marcellinus uses it.[2][3]
  • 893 AD – Asser writes of Orientālis Francia, East Francia.[6][3]
  • 1417 – An English will speaks of the king's regnum Franciae, kingdom of France.[6]

Meanings

Proper noun

  1. (Late Latin) The land of the Franks.[2][5][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) The Frankish realm;[6][7] Orientālis and Occidentālis Francia, East and West Francia.[6][7]
  3. (Medieval Latin, New Latin) France.[6][1][7]

Usage notes

A medieval chronicler, Higden, following Isidore, says that Gaul, also called Francia, was named from the whiteness of its people.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b c d Graesse, J. G. Th., Friedrich Benedict, and Ernst Plechl (1909), Orbis Latinus: Lexikon lateinischer geographischer Namen, 2nd ed., Berlin: R. C. Schmidt