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montaneus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word montaneus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1050
Ultimate origin
Latin montānus
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin mons
Latin montanus
Latin montaneus
From the same root
Latin montivagus ← mons
Latin montuosus ← mons

Forms

montāneus, montānea, montāneum[1] Also montānius.[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin montānus (“of mountains”),[2][3] which is from mōns (“mountain”).[1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest example, in the cartulary of Landévennec (about 1050), uses it as a noun: a man lived on a montaneus called Nin, a mountain.[4]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it meant “of mountains, mountainous”.[1] In Poland it meant “of a mine”: opus montaneum a mine working and ius montaneum a miners' court.[2] Etymonline traces English mountain to a Vulgar Latin noun ⟨*montanea⟩, the feminine of this adjective, through Old French montaigne.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1050 – The cartulary of Landévennec uses it for a mountain.[4]
  • 1324 – A British source uses the adjective.[1]
  • 1474 – A Polish charter speaks of an opus montaneum at Wieliczka.[2]
  • 1493 – Polish court records mention the ius montaneum of Olkusz.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin) mountainous, of mountains.[1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Of a mine, mining.[2]

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A mountain.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d e Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Novum Glossarium Mediae Latinitatis ab anno DCCC usque ad annum MCC (1957–), Copenhagen / Geneva / Paris: Union Académique Internationale; IRHT
Cite this entry

“Montaneus.” Etymologically, 23 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/montaneus. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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