Mediterranean

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌmɛdɪtəˈɹeɪnɪən/ UK /ˌmɛdɪtəˈɹeɪnɪən/ See IPA manual

Freq #9775

Meanings

1

adj
Relating to the Mediterranean Sea and the countries around it.

They enjoyed the warm Mediterranean climate during their holiday.
2

name
The sea between Europe and Africa, connected to the Atlantic.

They sailed across the Mediterranean to reach Italy.

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

mediterranean area
the region around the Mediterranean Sea

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Mediterranean comes from Latin elements medius, “middle,” and terra, “land.” The name describes the sea as lying in the middle of the lands or as enclosed by land.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin mediterrāneus, inland, from medius (“middle”) + terra (“earth, land”) + -āneus (adjectival suffix).

*ters- Proto-Indo-European mediterrāneus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# Mediterranean

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj, name
**IPA (US):** /ˌmɛdɪtəˈɹeɪnɪən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌmɛdɪtəˈɹeɪnɪən/
**Frequency rank:** 9775

## Meanings
1. Relating to the Mediterranean Sea and the countries around it.
2. The sea between Europe and Africa, connected to the Atlantic.

## Examples
- They enjoyed the warm Mediterranean climate during their holiday.
- They sailed across the Mediterranean to reach Italy.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ters-
- Root: mediterrāneus

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin mediterrāneus, inland, from medius (“middle”) + terra (“earth, land”) + -āneus (adjectival suffix).

## AI Etymology
Mediterranean was borrowed from Latin mediterrāneus, inland, from medius (“middle”) + terra (“earth, land”) + -āneus (adjectival suffix). In present-day English its meanings include relating to the Mediterranean Sea and the countries around it and the sea between Europe and Africa, connected to the Atlantic. The historical chain runs through *ters- (Proto-Indo-European) and mediterrāneus (Latin).

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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