Etymograph

English

Papal States

Papal States comes from Italian Stati Pontifici.

  1. Italianc. 1300–presentStati Pontifici
  2. EnglishtodayPapal States

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Italianc. 1300–presentStati Pontifici
  2. EnglishtodayPapal States

Made of the words Papal + States

Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- ‘to protect, to ward’

Old French papal

Middle English papal

English Papal

The story

On the model of Italian Stati Pontifici, plural of Stato Pontificio; compare the dated direct calque Pontifical States. The plural is typical in English and reflects the Papal States’ highly regionalised administration, but in various European languages, including contemporary Italian, the singular is more common.

Every English word from Italian Stati Pontifici

Today it means

name A country in southern Europe that existed until 1870, comprising the territories of Italy (and some enclaves in France) over which the pope was the ruler in a civil as well as a spiritual sense.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Italian Stati Pontifici / Papal States

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