Alps
/ælps/noun
A major mountain range in south-central Europe.
Did you know?The name is tied to a very old Indo-European root for high, white, or bright places, which is why it shows up across ancient mountain names and words for whiteness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*albʰ-
“white; bright”
Pre-Roman / Proto-Celtic or pre-Latin
Ancient
*alpis
“mountain pasture; high mountain”
Latin
Latin
Alpes
“the Alps; the high mountain range”
Old French
Old French
Alpes
“the Alps”
Modern English
English
Alps
“the mountain range in Europe”