Iberian
|I-be-ri-an|
🇺🇸
/aɪˈbɪəriən/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈbɪəriən/
related to Iberia (Spain & Portugal)
Etymology
'Iberian' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'Iberia', which referred to the region of the Iberian Peninsula (from Latin 'Iberus' for the Ebro river and the people living there).
'Iberian' changed from ancient Greek 'Ἰβηρία' ('Iberia') and Latin 'Iberia'/'Iberius' to the modern English adjective and noun 'Iberian' via medieval usage referring to the peninsula and its peoples.
Initially, the term referred to the geographic region or the river/name of its people; over time it came to mean 'of or relating to the Iberian Peninsula or its inhabitants' in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person native to or inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula (i.e., someone from Spain or Portugal).
Several Iberians attended the conference on regional languages.
Noun 2
one of the ancient peoples (and their language) of the eastern and southern Iberian Peninsula, known from inscriptions and archaeology.
Archaeologists studied the inscriptions left by the ancient Iberians.
Adjective 1
relating to the Iberian Peninsula (mainly Spain and Portugal) or to its peoples, languages, history, or culture.
Iberian art from the Iron Age shows unique regional styles.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/19 00:12