Corsican

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the island of Corsica, its people, culture, or language
2. Pertaining to the Mediterranean island known as Corsica, including its inhabitants and distinctive customs
3. Associated with Corsica, encompassing the region's residents, heritage, and the regional Romance language spoken there

Etymology: Corsica's name has an ancient and disputed origin, but the adjective "Corsican" is a plain, transparent formation: the island's name, Latin "Corsica," with the suffix "-an" attached. That suffix has a long pedigree, passing into English by way of Old French and Latin "-anus" and ultimately descending from a Proto-Italic form "-ānos," which marked belonging or origin. The same suffix sits behind "American," "Roman" and "Italian," so "Corsican" follows the same pattern that gives names to inhabitants of countless places. Because the ending is so productive, the word tells you little that is surprising on its own. Its interest lies in the consistency of the pattern: a Latin place name, filtered through the Romance languages, became a standard English label for a people, as "Corsican" does for the natives of an island that has changed hands many times. The word is used as both a noun and an adjective, meaning a person from Corsica or relating to the island.

Synonyms: Corsican person, Corsican native