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Glite Dictionary
cisalpine

cisalpine

1 9.9
From the Italian side of the Alps in Roman times
  • adjective
  • /ˌsɪzælˈpaɪn/
: cisalpino
  • The Romans referred to northern Italy as cisalpine Gaul.

Marcus Junius Brutus had fought with Pompey and was spared after Pharsalus. Welcomed by Caesar, he was appointed governor of Cisalpine Gaul.

Examples

  • The cisalpine provinces were strategically important to the Roman Empire.

  • Trade routes passed through the cisalpine region before reaching the rest of Italy.

  • The cisalpine territories were crucial during the Roman expansion.

  • Many cisalpine regions have rich agricultural traditions.

  • The cisalpine provinces were strategically important to the Roman Empire.

  • Trade routes passed through the cisalpine region before reaching the rest of Italy.

  • Many cisalpine regions have rich agricultural traditions.

Synonyms

cismontane
vscisalpine
9.9

On the same side of the mountains as the person speaking

refers specifically to the Italian or Roman side of the Alps in historical contexts

Surface Forms

cisalpine positive

Morphology

cisalpine = alpine (semi-transparent) = cis + alpine + cis

The base 'alpine' is clear, but the Latin combining prefix 'cis-' ('on this side of') is specialized and not obvious to an average B1 learner, and the term is historically/specially used.

Etymology

Cisalpine comes from Latin parts cis- meaning 'on this side' and alpine meaning 'of the Alps'. So the Romans used cisalpine for lands on the Italian side of the Alps, which is why the word now refers to areas related to the Roman or Italian side of those mountains.