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Prussia

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Prússia

English

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The flag of Prussia from 1892 to 1918.

Etymology

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From New Latin Prūssia, a Latinization used by Peter of Dusburg of a Baltic (Old Prussian, or perhaps Lithuanian or Latvian) autonym. The Proto-Indo-European source of the name is unclear; more at Prussia. Compare the Proto-Balto-Slavic *prus-sk-,[1] whose cognates include Proto-Slavic *prъskati (“to splutter, to splash”), Sanskrit प्रुष्णोति (pruṣṇóti, “to sprinkle”),[1] and thus signifying "watery land".

The Middle English designation for the region, Pruce, derives from the same Latinization and is the source of the terms pruce and spruce.

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Prussia

  2. (chiefly historical) A geographical area on the Baltic coast of Northeast Europe.
  4. (historical) A former duchy, kingdom and (after German unification in 1871) a province of Germany, existing in various forms from 1525 to 1947 in parts of modern Germany, Poland and Russia; it originated from the historical region of Prussia and expanded over time through conquest.
  5. (countable) A country known for exceptional military professionalism in her region. Historically used for Bulgaria as the "Prussia of the Balkans".
    • 2010, Stephen Kinzer, A Thousand Hills — Rwanda’s Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It:
      Sometimes referred to as the “Prussia of Africa,” Rwanda insists on enormous self-discipline from every citizen.
  6. A township in Adair County, Iowa, United States.
  7. Former name of Leader, Saskatchewan, changed due to anti-German sentiment in WWI.

Usage notes

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In the Baltic languages the 'u' is long; it was also long in Middle English, but it has become short in modern English.

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 4), Leiden; Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 423

Anagrams

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Italian

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Italian Wikipedia has an article on:
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Etymology

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From New Latin Prūssia.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈprus.sja/
  • Rhymes: -ussja
  • Hyphenation: Prùs‧sia

Proper noun

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Prussia f

  1. (chiefly historical) Prussia (a geographical area on the Baltic coast of Northeast Europe)
  2. (historical) Prussia (a former duchy, kingdom and (after German unification in 1871) a province of Germany, existing from 1525 to 1947 in parts of modern Germany, Poland and Russia)
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Latin

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Middle High German Prūzin; contrast with Borussia, instead taken from the local endonym. Both words are eventually descended from Proto-Baltic *Prūsai.

Proper noun

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Prūssia f sg (genitive Prūssiae); first declension

  1. (chiefly historical) Prussia (a geographical area on the Baltic coast of Northeast Europe)
  2. (historical) Prussia (a former duchy, kingdom and (after German unification in 1871) a province of Germany, existing from 1525 to 1947 in parts of modern Germany, Poland and Russia)

Declension

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First-declension noun, with locative, singular only.

singular
nominative Prūssia
genitive Prūssiae
dative Prūssiae
accusative Prūssiam
ablative Prūssiā
vocative Prūssia
locative Prūssiae

Further reading

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Portuguese

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Proper noun

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Prussia f

  1. obsolete spelling of Prússia
    • 1914, David Lloyd George, A Guerra Europea, Harrison and Sons, page 2:
      Porque é que a Austria e a Prussia não estão cumprindo com a sua parte do contracto ?
      Why are Austria and Prussia not performing the obligations of their bond ?
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