Carthaginian

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A historical figure belonging to a prominent ancient civilization that engaged in extensive trade and conflict with Rome
2. Pertaining to the cultural, linguistic, or societal aspects of a significant city-state that played a vital role in Mediterranean history
3. A member of an ancient civilization known for its trade networks and military rivalry with Rome

Etymology: Carthage was a Phoenician city on the coast of North Africa, near modern Tunis, and its name in Latin, "Carthāgō," came from the Phoenician "Qart-hadašt," meaning "new town." The Romans, who fought three long wars against the city and finally destroyed it in 146 BCE, gave the place its Latin form, and from that name they built the adjective "Carthāginiānus" by adding the suffix "-iānus," which marks a person or thing belonging to a place. The English adjective "Carthaginian" comes straight from that Latin form. The suffix does the same job in many other place-based words. English has "Augustan" from Augustus, "Parisian" from Paris and "Alexandrian" from Alexandria, all built the same way. "Carthaginian" is therefore a plain, transparent formation: a city's name with a belonging-suffix attached, carried over into English with little change.