Litauen
/liːˈtaʊ̯ən/noun
The German name for Lithuania, a country in northeastern Europe.
Did you know?The earliest known written reference to Lithuania appears in 1009 as *Litua*, in a record describing the killing of the Christian missionary Bruno of Querfurt.
Etymological Timeline
1009
Latin
Litua
“The earliest recorded form, found in the Quedlinburg Annals for a land identified with Lithuania.”
11th–12th Century
Old Russian
Litva
“The East Slavic name for Lithuania and its people.”
13th Century
Latin
Lituania
“The medieval Latin form used in ecclesiastical and diplomatic writing.”
13th–14th Century
Middle High German
Lîtouwen
“A German form referring to Lithuania, developing through medieval German usage.”
Modern German
German
Litauen
“The standard modern German name for Lithuania.”
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