Pyrenees

See also: Pyrénées

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English Pireneies, partly from Middle French Pyrenees and partly from Latin Pȳrēnaeī (montēs) (literally “Pyrenean (mountains)”),[1] plural of Pȳrēnaeus (“Pyrenean”), from Ancient Greek Πυρηναῖος (Purēnaîos), from Πῡρήνη (Pūrḗnē, “Pyrene”, literally “fruit-stone”) +‎ -αῖος (-aîos).[2] According to mythological tradition, Pyrene, daughter of King Bebryx, was either the beloved of Heracles or a victim of his sexual violence. After fleeing into the wilderness, where she subsequently died, she was buried by Heracles; the Pyrenees were said to have been named in her honour.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌpɪɹəˈniːz/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈpɪɹəˌniz/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Proper noun

the Pyrenees pl (plural only)

  1. The mountain range separating Spain from France, inhabited by Basques in the west, Occitans in the centre-north, Aragonese in the centre-south, and Catalans in the east.
    • 2012 July 15, Richard Williams, “Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 31 March 2022:
      The summit of the climb came 38km from the end of stage 14, which began in Limoux and ended in Foix in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and the incident occurred as the peloton emerged into the light and passed under the banner at the top, a quarter of an hour behind a five-man breakaway.
  2. A wine-producing region and local government area (Shire of Pyrenees) in Victoria, Australia.

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ “Pyrenees, n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
  2. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “Pyrenees”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Middle French

Alternative forms

  • Pyrenæes

Etymology

From Latin Pȳrēnaeī (as used in Pȳrēnaeī montēs (literally “Pyrenean mountains”)), masculine plural of Latin Pȳrēnaeus (“Pyrenean”), from Ancient Greek Πῡρηναῖος (Pūrēnaîos), from Πῡρήνη (Pūrḗnē) +‎ -αῖος (-aîos).

Proper noun

Pyrenees m pl

  1. Pyrenees; ellipsis of mons Pyrenees m pl
    • 1587, Histoire generale d’Espagne, page 22:
      Les Pyrenees, qui ont prins leur nom ou de leur embraſement, duquel cy deuant a eſté faict mention (car pyr en grec, c’eſt feu) ou des frequentes fouldres dont leurs poinctes ſont battues, ou bien (ſi on veut receuoir les fables) de la nymphe Pyrene, fille de Bebrix, que Hercules engroſſa paſſant par là, eſtendent leur principale maſſe depuis le temple de Venus, ou cap de Crux, iuſques à Bayone : [...]
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

  • French: Pyrénées
    • → Ottoman Turkish: پیرنه (Pirene)
    • → Ottoman Turkish: پیرنه‌لر (Pireneler)
    • → Persian: پیرنه (pirene)
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