Esperanto Hear it!

Esperanto Definition

Es·pe·ranto (es′pə rän′tō, -ran′-)

noun

an invented language, devised (1887) by Pol. physician L. L. Zamenhof (1859-1917), and proposed for use as an international (chiefly European) auxiliary language: it uses word bases common to the main European languages, and it has self-evident parts of speech (all nouns end in -o, all adjectives in -a, etc.), a single and regular conjugation of verbs, a few simplified inflections, etc.

Etymology: after pseud. of the inventor, lit. (in Esperanto), one who hopes < prp. of esperi, to hope < Romance forms (Fr espérer, Sp esperar, etc.) < L sperare, to hope

Browse dictionary entries near Esperanto

  1. ‹ especially
  2. ‹ especial
  3. ‹ esparto
  4. ‹ espalier
  5. ‹ espadrille
  6. ‹ España
  7. ‹ Espírito Santo
  8. ‹ esp.
  9. ‹ ESP
  10. ‹ esotropia
  1. espial ›
  2. espionage ›
  3. esplanade ›
  4. Espoo ›
  5. espousal ›
  6. espouse ›
  7. espresso ›
  8. esprit ›
  9. esprit d'escalier ›
  10. esprit de corps ›