Appalachian

English

Etymology

From the name of a Native American village near present-day Tallahassee, Florida, transcribed in Spanish as Apalchen or Apalachen [a.paˈla.tʃɛn]. Originally the name of the Apalachee, a Muskogean people of northwestern Florida, perhaps from Apalachee abalahci "other side of the river" or Hitchiti (Muskogean) apalwahči "dwelling on one side"; compare Proto-Muskogean *apiCi (“stem, stalk”). The name was eventually used also for the tribe and for a region spreading well inland to the north. After the de Soto expedition in 1540, Spanish cartographers began to apply the name of the tribe to the mountains themselves.

Detail of Gutierrez' 1562 map showing the first known cartographic appearance of a variant of Appalachia(n).

Pronunciation

• (Southern US) IPA^(key): /ˌæ.pəˈlæ.t͡ʃən/

  Rhymes: -ætʃən

• (Northern US, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˌæ.pəˈleɪ.(t)ʃən/, /ˌæ.pəˈleɪ.kən/

  Audio (US):

  (file)

  Rhymes: -eɪʃən

  Homophone: appellation

Adjective

Appalachian (comparative more Appalachian, superlative most Appalachian)

1. Referring to the region of Appalachia or its characteristics.
2. Referring to the people and culture of Appalachia.

Derived terms

• Appalachian tea
• Appalachianness
• hike the Appalachian Trail

Translations

referring to Appalachia

• Catalan: apalatxià
• Esperanto: Apalaĉa
• Ido: Apalacha (#1), Apalachana (#2)
• Latin: appalachianus
• Portuguese: apalachiano
• Spanish: apalache, apalachiense, apalachano, apalachiano, apalachense

Noun

Appalachian (plural Appalachians)

1. A person from Appalachia.

Related terms

• Appalachians

Translations

person from Appalachia

• Ido: Apalachano

Proper noun

Appalachian

1. The dialect of people from Appalachia.

Synonyms

• Appalachian English