Gronlant

Middle Low German

Alternative forms

• Grö̂nland

Etymology

From grö̂n(e) (“green”) +‎ lant (“land”), a calque of Old Norse Grǿnland.

Proper noun

Grö̂nlant n

1. Greenland (large island)
   • 16th century, “Hamburger Chronik 799 – 1559”, in J.M. Lappenberg, editor, Hamburgische Chroniken in niedersächsischer Sprache‎^[1], Hamburg, published 1861, page 187:

     Anno 42 int vorjar do wort erstmals ein kraffel gesent in Gronland dat land vptosoken. Vnd de scipher hete Gert Mestemaker vnd fant dat land, auerst he konde bi neen volk kamen, darum quam he sunder baten wedder to hus.

     In the spring of the year [15]42, a caravel was sent to Greenland for the first time in order to locate that land. The captain’s name was Gert Mestemaker and he did find the land, but he could not get hold of any people, so he came back home without success.

     The phrase “for the first time” appears to mean that this was the first independent voyage by a Hamburger to Greenland. Of course, Hamburgers had long been aware of the island through their close contacts with Scandinavia.

Descendants

• Low German: Gröönland
• → German: Grönland