Massilia

English

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin Massilia.

Noun

Massilia

1. (historical) A city in Gallia Narbonensis, now Marseille

   Synonym: Massalia

Related terms

• Massilian
• Massiliote

 

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Μασσαλία (Massalía), possibly an Ancient Ligurian toponym or perhaps from Ancient Greek μάσσων (mássōn, “further”) +‎ ἅλς (háls, “sea”), literally “(city) on far end of the sea” cf. Ancient Greek παραλία (paralía).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /masˈsi.li.a/, [mäs̠ˈs̠ɪlʲiä]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /masˈsi.li.a/, [mäsˈsiːliä]

Proper noun

Massilia f sg (genitive Massiliae); first declension

1. Marseille (the capital city of the Bouches-du-Rhône department, in modern France; capital city of the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur)
2. (historical) Massilia (a city in Gallia Narbonensis, now Marseille)

Declension

First-declension noun, with locative, singular only.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Massilia
Genitive	Massiliae
Dative	Massiliae
Accusative	Massiliam
Ablative	Massiliā
Vocative	Massilia
Locative	Massiliae

Descendants

• English: Marseille, Massilia
• French: Marseille
• Italian: Marsiglia
• Occitan: Marselha
• Portuguese: Marselha
• Spanish: Marsella

References

• “Massilia”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Massilia in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.