English
Spain
Spain comes from Middle English Spayne, and goes back to Latin Hispānia.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEHispānia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400Espaignenext step skipped: Anglo-Norman Espayne
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Spayne
- Englishearliest quotation 1865Spain
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEHispānia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400Espaignenext step skipped: Anglo-Norman Espayne
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Spayne
- Englishearliest quotation 1865Spain
Earliest quotation: 1865, James Stuart Laurie, Manual of Elementary Geography: “The mountains of Spain consist of parallel ranges, running…”
Linked words
through Latin Hispānia
Today it means
name A country in Southern Europe, including most of the Iberian peninsula. Official name: Kingdom of Spain. Capital and largest city: Madrid.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin Hispānia / Spain