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. 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. Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. “chersonese, n.”. Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1989.
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