Gaul definition
An ancient region of western Europe south and west of the Rhine River, west of the Alps, and north of the Pyrenees, corresponding roughly to modern-day France and Belgium. The Romans extended the designation to include northern Italy, particularly after Julius Caesar's conquest of the area in the Gallic Wars (58–51 bc ).
A member of the Celtic-speaking people of ancient Gaul.
noun
A Celt of ancient Gaul.
noun
(place) Ancient region in W Europe, consisting of what is now mainly France & Belgium.
proper name
A Frenchman.
noun
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(place) Ancient region in N Italy, occupied by the Gauls (4th cent. b.c.)
proper name
(place) Ancient division of the Roman Empire, including Cisalpine Gaul & Transalpine Gaul (1st-5th cent. a.d.)
proper name
A person from Gaul.
noun
A French person.
noun
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Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
gaul
Plural:
gaulsOrigin of gaul
- From French Gaule (“Gaul”), from Middle French Gaule (“Gaul”), from Old French Gaule, Waulle (“Gaul”), a word used as a translation of Latin Gallia (“Gaul”), from Frankish *Walholant (“Gaul, Land of the Romans, foreigners”), from Frankish *Walha (“foreigners, Romans, Celts”), from Proto-Germanic *walhaz (“an outlander, foreigner, Celt”), probably of Celtic origin, from the same source as Latin Volcae (“name of a Celtic tribe in South Germany, which later emmigrated to Gaul”). Akin to Old High German Walh, Walah (“a Celt, Roman, Gaul”), Old English Wealh, Walh (“a non-Germanic foreigner, Celt/Briton/Welshman”), Old Norse Valir (“Gauls, Frenchmen”). More at Wales, Cornwall, Walloon.
From Wiktionary
- Despite their similar appearance, Latin Gallia is probably not the origin of French Gaul; the similarity is purely coincidental. According to regular sound changes in the development of Old French, Latin g before a becomes j (compare gamba, whence jambe), and the i of terminal -ia transpositions to the preceding syllable (compare gloire from gloria). Thus, the regular outcome of Latin Gallia is Jaille, a component still seen in several French placenames (eg. La Jaille-Yvon, Saint-Mars-la-Jaille, etc).
From Wiktionary