Biscay
/ˈbɪskeɪ/noun
A historical province of northern Spain and the adjacent bay of the Atlantic Ocean.
Did you know?Biscay is known in Basque as Bizkaia, and its name belongs to the exceptionally ancient and still-living Basque linguistic landscape of northern Iberia.
Etymological Timeline
Early Medieval Period
Basque
Bizkaia
“The Basque name for Biscay; its deeper meaning is disputed, though it may be connected with a term for a height or elevated place.”
11th Century
Medieval Latin
Biscaya
“A Latinized form used for the territory of Biscay.”
12th–13th Century
Old French
Biscaye
“The name of the Basque territory and neighboring coast in French usage.”
Medieval Period
Old Spanish
Vizcaya
“The name of the province in Spanish.”
Modern English
English
Biscay
“The province of Biscay and, especially, the Bay of Biscay.”