Lombard
Lombard (noun) means a member of a Germanic people who conquered and settled northern Italy in the 6th century. Example: “The Lombards gave their name to the modern Italian region of Lombardy.”
How to use Lombard
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOriginally the name of a Germanic tribe that settled Italy; later used for bankers, since medieval Lombard merchants were famous moneylenders.
If you see "Lombard Street" in an old novel, it usually signals banking or finance, not the Italian region.
Trace the full origin ↓Word forms
- Plural
- Lombards
- Comparative
- more Lombard
- Superlative
- most Lombard
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ gave their name to the modern Italian region of Lombardy.
Etymology
From Old French Lombard, ultimately from Late Latin Langobardus, from Germanic elements meaning "long" + "beard" (or possibly "axe").