Masurians

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The people native to the Masuria lake region of northeastern Poland, who speak or descend from the Polish dialect of that area
2. Inhabitants of Masuria, a historical region of northeastern Poland known for its lakes and forests, and their descendants
3. Groups of people from the Masuria area of northeastern Poland, a Slavic-speaking population with a distinct regional identity

Etymology: Masurians are the people of Masuria, a historical region in northeastern Poland, and the plural of "Masurian". The name of the people comes straight from the place: "Masuria" with the suffix "-an", the common English ending for people tied to a region or country, as in "Prussian" or "Italian". The word therefore carries no meaning beyond the geography it names, and its history follows the land's own name rather than a separate chain of senses.