chersonese
See also: Chersonese
English
Alternative forms
- (χ transcribed as <ch>)
- chersonesus (Latin form)
- chersonesos (with Greek ending)
- chersoness (obsolete)
- chersonesse (obsolete)
- (χ transcribed as <kh>)
- khersonese
- khersonesos (with Greek ending)
- khersonesus (with Latin ending)
- khersoness (rare, obsolete)
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin Chersonēsus, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek χερσόνησος (khersónēsos, “originally, the Gallipoli peninsula; later, any peninsula”),[1] from χέρσος (khérsos, “dry land”) + νῆσος (nêsos, “island”).[2]
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkɜːsəˌniːs/[2]
Noun
chersonese (plural chersoneses)
Usage notes
Aside from dated, poetic, or rhetorical use,[2] the word typically appears in English transcribing works or descriptions of classical geography: the Greek form chersonese being more common in general and generic use and the Latin form chersonesus appearing in the proper names of various famous peninsulas.
Derived terms
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Compendium of Ancient and Modern Geography: For the Use of Eton School by Aaron Arrowsmith (1831; E. Williams), page 32:
A peninsula (χερσόνησος pæninsula, i. e. pæne insula) or chersonese, is a tract of land which is almost an island, being encompassed by water on all sides, except where it is joined to the main by a narrow neck of land; as the Thracian Chersonese, the Morea, and Spain. The narrow neck of land, which joins a peninsula to the main, is called an Isthmus (ἰσθμός isthmus10) as the Isthmus of Corinth, the Isthmus of Suez, and the Isthmus of Darien. - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. “chersonese, n.”. Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1989.