Ravenna

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historic city in Italy known for its remarkable early Christian mosaics and rich cultural heritage
2. A significant location in Emilia-Romagna, famous for its Byzantine architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Sites
3. An ancient capital of the Western Roman Empire, renowned for its artistic contributions and historical significance

Etymology: Ravenna is a city on the Adriatic coast of northern Italy, and the English word takes its name directly from there, borrowed from Italian "Ravenna", which itself descends from the Latin name of the city. The city's fame in mosaic is what gave the word its specialized sense: its churches, such as San Vitale and the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, contain some of the finest surviving Byzantine-era mosaics in the world, and the place name came to stand for that style of work. In English, then, "Ravenna" is a proper noun that has been used as a common noun meaning mosaic work in the manner of that city. The word is a clean example of a city name passing into a craft term because the craft was so closely associated with one place.