Aquitaine
/ˌæk.wɪˈteɪn/noun
A historical region in southwestern France.
Did you know?Aquitaine comes from Latin Aquitania, likely built from aqua, meaning “water,” so this region’s name is literally tied to water in a way that survived Roman conquest and medieval power shifts.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Rome
Latin
Aquitania
“The Roman name for the region and its people in southwestern Gaul”
1st Century BCE
Latin
aqua
“Water”
Late Latin
Latin
Aquitania
“A provincial and geographic name used by Roman writers and administrators”
Old French
Old French
Aquitainne
“A medieval form of the regional name”
Modern English
English
Aquitaine
“The modern English name for the French region”