Austerlitz
/ˈɔːstərlɪts/noun
A town in the Czech Republic, famous as the site of Napoleon’s 1805 victory in the Battle of Austerlitz.
Did you know?The battle name entered history through the town’s German form, and its fame was so immense that “Austerlitz” became shorthand for Napoleon’s greatest triumph.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval period
German
Austerlitz
“German name of the village in Moravia”
13th Century
Czech
Slavkov
“The local Slavic place-name for the settlement”
1805
French
Austerlitz
“Name used by the French for the battle fought near the town”
19th Century
English
Austerlitz
“Historical name for Napoleon’s decisive victory at the Battle of Austerlitz”
Modern English
English
Austerlitz
“The standard historical name for the town and the battle”