Bretagne
/bʁə.taɲ/noun
A historical region and administrative region in northwestern France, known in English as Brittany.
Did you know?The name reflects a major migration of Britons from Roman Britain into Armorica during the fifth and sixth centuries, creating a second “Britain” across the Channel.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Celtic
Celtic
*Pritani
“An ancient name for the Britons; its precise meaning is uncertain, though “painted or tattooed people” is a scholarly proposal rather than a certainty.”
1st Century BCE
Greek
Βρεττανία (Brettanía)
“Britannia or Britain, recorded by Greek writers as the name of the islands and their inhabitants.”
Roman Period
Latin
Britannia
“Britain; the Roman province and land associated with the Britons.”
5th–6th Century
Latin
Britannia Minor
“Lesser Britain, a developing name for the Brittonic settlement in Armorica, contrasting it with Britain across the Channel.”
11th Century
Old French
Bretaigne
“Brittany; the territory associated with immigrant Britons in northwestern France.”
Modern French
French
Bretagne
“Brittany, the region of northwestern France.”