Lettish

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to the people, language, or culture of Latvia; pertaining to the Latvian ethnic group or their heritage; associated with the historical term once used for Latvians
2. Connected with Latvia as a nation, its inhabitants, or their traditional language; descriptive of Latvian customs, traditions, or identity; linked to the older designation for the Latvian population
3. Concerning the Baltic country’s people or tongue known historically as Lettish; involving aspects of Latvian nationality or linguistic heritage; referring to the region and culture of Latvia in past or present contexts

Etymology: "Lettish" is simply "Lett" with the adjective-forming suffix "-ish" added, so it means "of the Letts," the Latvian people, or relating to Latvia. The base "Lett" is the older English name for the Latvians, borrowed from the German "Lette," and the suffix has a long ancestry of its own. "-ish" descends from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning something like "belonging to," which passed through Proto-Germanic and Proto-West Germanic before becoming Old English "-isc." That same suffix gave English "English," "Scottish," and "British," so "Lettish" sits in a very familiar family of words. The suffix has been used in English to form adjectives of nationality and language for well over a thousand years, so "Lettish" follows a regular and ancient pattern rather than a special coinage. Its meaning is plain and literal: it describes the people, language, or territory associated with Latvia. Where "Lett" names the people, "Lettish" is the form used for the adjective and for the language, and it is the same suffix that turns many other place-based names into adjectives.

Synonyms: latvian