Sicily
English
Etymology
From Middle English Sicilie, Sicilye, from Old English Sicilia, from Latin Sicilia, from Ancient Greek Σικελία (Sikelía), from Σίκελος (Síkelos, “Sicel”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈsɪsɨli/
Audio (Southern England) (file)
Proper noun
Sicily (plural Sicilies) (see usage notes below)
- The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, politically part of Italy and thus of Southern Europe, but geographically also close to Africa, and separated from Tunisia and Libya by the Strait of Sicily.
- An autonomous region of the Italian Republic, officially named Regione Siciliana (Sicilian Region).
- (historical) Synonym of Kingdom of Sicily, a former kingdom controlling the island and some of southern Italy in the medieval and early modern period
- (historical) Synonym of Kingdom of Naples, a former kingdom controlling southern Italy and claiming sovereignty over the island in the early modern period
- (historical) Synonym of Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, a former kingdom controlling the island and most of southern Italy in the 19th century
Usage notes
- English proper nouns ending in y usually add an s to form their plural (as in Germanys and Marys). Sicily is an exception to this pattern, as in Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. For more, see
English plurals § Plurals of nouns in -y on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Derived terms
- Sicilian
- Strait of Sicily
Related terms
- Sicel
- Siceliot
- Sicilian
- Sicilian American
- Sicilian Italian
- Siculi
- Siculian
- Siculish
- Sikeliot
Translations
island in the Mediterranean Sea
|