chersonese

See also: Chersonese

English

Alternative forms

  • (χ transcribed as <ch>)}}
    • chersonesus (Latin form)
    • chersonesos (with Greek ending)
    • chersoness (obsolete)
    • chersonesse (obsolete)
  • (χ transcribed as <kh>)
    • khersonese
    • khersonesos (with Greek ending)
    • khersonesus (with Latin ending)
    • khersoness (rare, obsolete)

Etymology

From Latin Chersonēsus, from Ancient Greek χερσόνησος (khersónēsos, “originally, the Gallipoli peninsula; later, any peninsula[1]”), from χέρσος (khérsos, “dry land”) + νῆσος (nêsos, “island”).[2]

Pronunciation

Noun

chersonese (plural chersoneses)

  1. (geography, uncommon) A peninsula.[1][2]

Usage notes

Aside from dated, poetic, or rhetorical use,[2] the word typically appears in English transcribing works or descriptions of classical geography: the Greek form chersonese being more common in general and generic use and the Latin form chersonesus appearing in the proper names of various famous peninsulas.

Derived terms

References

  1. 1 2 A Compendium of Ancient and Modern Geography: For the Use of Eton School by Aaron Arrowsmith (1831; E. Williams), page 32:
    A peninsula (χερσόνησος pæninsula, i. e. pæne insula) or chersonese, is a tract of land which is almost an island, being encompassed by water on all sides, expect where it is joined to the main by a narrow neck of land; as the Thracian Chersonese, the Morea, and Spain. The narrow neck of land, which joins a peninsula to the main, is called an Isthmus (ἰσθμός isthmus10) as the Isthmus of Corinth, the Isthmus of Suez, and the Isthmus of Darien.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. “chersonese, n.”. Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1989.
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