Etymologically
Log in

montania

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Latin word montania

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
8th century, Reichenau Glossary
Ultimate origin
Latin mōns
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin mons
Latin montania
From the same root
Latin montanus ← mons
Latin montivagus ← mons
Latin montuosus ← mons

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [mɔnˈtaː.ni.a][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [monˈtaː.ni.a][1]

Forms

montānia f (genitive montāniae); first declension[1] Other medieval spellings are montāna, montānea and muntanea.[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin mōns (“mountain”) + -ānia, with a collective suffix taken from the neuter plural of -āneus, as campānia (“countryside”) was formed from campus (“field”).[1] The Novum Glossarium heads it as ⟨montanea⟩ and derives it from montānus (“of the mountains”).[2] Du Cange equates it with ⟨montana⟩.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is attested in the eighth-century Reichenau Glossary;[1] judging by its formation, Wiktionary takes “mountainous area” to be the original sense.[1]

Semantic evolution

In medieval charters it means a mountain or hill,[2][1] and also a sand dune and a region.[2] A testament of 1035 quoted by Du Cange leaves ipsa Montania to the testator's son.[3] In medieval Hungary it was also used for a mine.[4]

It is the source of the Romance words for “mountain”: Italian montagna, Old French montaigne, Catalan muntanya, Occitan montanha, Spanish montaña and Portuguese montanha.[1] The name of the American state Montana comes from the Spanish word.[5]

Timeline

  • 8th century – It appears in the Reichenau Glossary.[1]
  • 808 – A diploma of Charlemagne uses it for a region near Piacenza.[2]
  • 966 – A cartulary uses it for mountains.[2]
  • 1035 – A count's testament bequeaths ipsa Montania.[3][2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A mountainous area.[1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A mountain or hill.[1][2][4]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A sand dune.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A region.[2]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A mine.[4]

Word family

  • montāniōsus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Novum Glossarium Mediae Latinitatis ab anno DCCC usque ad annum MCC (1957–), Copenhagen / Geneva / Paris: Union Académique Internationale; IRHT
  3. ^ a b c du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  4. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  5. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Montania.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/montania. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·