Wallachia
/wəˈlɑːkiə/noun
A historical region and former principality in what is now southern Romania.
Did you know?The name Wallachia is tied to the same ancient Germanic root behind words like Welsh and Wals, meaning “foreigners” or “Romanized outsiders,” not a mystical title from the region itself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*Walhaz
“A foreigner; specifically a Romanized or Celtic outsider to Germanic speakers.”
Old High German / Old English
OHG / OE
walh / wealh
“A foreigner, Briton, or Celtic/Romanized person.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
Blachia / Valachia
“A land associated with the Vlachs, as recorded by neighboring peoples.”
Middle Ages
Various
Vlach / Wallach / Walach
“Ethnonyms used by neighboring peoples for Romance-speaking communities in the Balkans and Carpathians.”
14th Century
Latin / Romanian
Wallachia
“The principality south of the Carpathians, named by outsiders after the Vlachs.”
Modern English
English
Wallachia
“The historical region in southern Romania.”