Romanize
/ˈroʊmənaɪz/noun
To make something Roman in character, style, or language.
Did you know?The word comes through the same Roman root that gave English *Rome*, *Roman*, and *Romance*—because in medieval Latin, “Roman” wasn’t just a nationality, it was a cultural force that reshaped the world.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Latin
Latin
Rōmānus
“Roman; belonging to Rome”
Late Latin
Latin
Rōmānizāre
“to make Roman, to adopt Roman ways”
Old French
Old French
romanisier
“to render into the Roman tongue or style”
Middle English
English
romanisen
“to make Roman or convert to Roman usage”
Modern English
English
romanize
“to make Roman in character, language, or practice”