Moldovan

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to the country or people of Moldova; describing the language spoken in Moldova; pertaining to cultural or historical aspects associated with Moldova
2. Connected to the Eastern European nation of Moldova and its inhabitants; referring to the dialect used by Moldovans; associated with traditions, customs, or heritage of Moldova
3. Of or about the Republic of Moldova, its population, or their identity; concerning the Moldovan language or linguistic features; linked to Moldovan social, ethnic, or national characteristics

Etymology: Moldovan is a straightforward formation: the name of the country Moldova with the suffix "-an," which turns a place name into an adjective or noun meaning a person or thing associated with that place. The suffix has a long ancestry, traceable back through Proto-Italic and Latin "-anus," and it reached English through Old French and Middle English, where it became one of the most productive ways of naming someone from a locality. The suffix is the same one found in words like "American," "Italian," and "Victorian," so "Moldovan" follows a pattern English speakers apply to nearly any country or region. The base name, Moldova, is the element that carries the specific meaning, while the ending simply marks the relationship to the place.

Synonyms: moldavian